Arran somehow summoned her back.

“Thank Goddess,” he says, lifting her into his arms. “Portal. Now.”

Although I see it on his face that he wants to argue, Maxum doesn’t. With a huff, he creates a portal back to our safe house.

Apparently, we’ve adopted a useless, half-dead witch.

Oh, joy.

24

FOUND

ARRAN

On her porch, I work myself up into a frenzy.

I didn’t want to intrude on Jade’s space again, but I also don’t want to leave her alone after her ex showed up.

My gut is telling me his visit isn’t what it seems to be.

Thank Goddess Maxum and Calder show up when they do. I am about to lose what I have left of my fragile sanity.

When I see her on the floor, I know. I’m more certain than ever that she is a victim of all this. I don’t know if the guys will agree. They might still think she is involved, and the ASO betrayed her. But they don’t know her like I do.

Clutching her to my chest and hearing her take in a breath is the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.

Stepping through the portal I demand of Maxum, I want nothing more than to carry her to my room so I can be alone with her. I want to symbolically claim her as mine to the males by taking her under my protection. I won’t claim her as my mate until I have her permission. Hopefully, one day I can convince her to accept what I am.

Instead of hiding away with her, I settle down on one of our large couches so I can talk with the guys about what to do.

Gazing down at her sweet face, I have an uncomfortable thought. “What if it isn’t Jade who returned to her body, but Osen?” I mumble to myself.

How will I deal with him taking her body?

As much as I want Osen alive again, I don’t want it to be at the cost of my beautiful witch.

“If anyone could have ousted her soul and claimed her body for his own, it would have been Osen,” Maxum confirms my worries.

“What if Osen killed her? Not Rob?” Calder asks.

“What did it feel like when she was outside her body?” I ask. “Did you sense both of them?”

“I did.” He frowns. “At first, it felt like he was surrounding her soul.”

“To contain it?” I wonder.

“I suppose it could have been like that.” Calder pulls on his auburn hair in frustration.

“Osen could have helped her return to her body. His power worked in the astral realms. It’s not impossible.” Maxum rubs his face and curses. “But I also wouldn’t put it past Osen to knock her off if he believed she was the enemy.”

“She could have willingly met with Rob. Then Osen attacked her from within, after Rob left,” Calder argues, unhelpfully filling my mind with poison.

“Stop it!” I shout. “We don’t know a damned thing. We’ll have to wait until Jade regains consciousness to find out what we can.”

Please wake up. Please.

Maxum clears his throat. “Arran, we have some bad news. Flint followed Rob and saw him drive away with Galiana Collins after he left Jade’s house.”