Page 60 of New Nebraska Home

I lay back in my bed, relaxing against the headboard and arranging Liz in my arms so her body molded into mine. Her head rested on the curve of my shoulder. Her body melted into me, her hands fisted in my shirt.

Running my hand down her spine, hoping to give her some comfort, I grabbed my phone and started making calls.

Osric was first; he was still working on figuring out how to deal with Amelia’s murder, not only as a half-Fae but as she was related to the royal family. What was worse was that he’d already heard that Malik had been arrested, being accused of being a basilisk.

“I don’t understand,” I said into the phone. “He isn’t a basilisk. I know that for a fact. But even if he were, why is that a problem?”

“They were hunted to extinction over a century ago, around the same time as the final witch hunts,” he explained. Liz shifted in my arms, and I knew she was listening to both sides of the conversation. So, I took the phone from my ear and put it on speaker. I wasn’t hiding anything from her, and I wouldn’t pretend to be.

“Okay, why?” I asked.

“Why did they hunt down witches or basilisks?”

“Both,” I said.

“I thought witches weren’t real?” Liz asked.

“Oh, they used to be. Witches, they’re not quite supernatural creatures. They were human, but could manipulate the magic around them. Sort of like elementals if they didn’t have the magic living inside them.”

“What does that even mean?” Liz asked, her nose scrunching up in the same adorable way that Brock’s did when he was confused.

“Well, it was different depending on the coven. The Witches of Roanoke, for example, could make poisons and tonics that had a little extra kick. They could enhance the properties of specific herbs. The Witches of Goldwater could influence the weather, and there are also the Daughters of Salem, who could do all sorts of nifty things. But they, like basilisks, were hunted to extinction. With the basilisks, for good reason.”

“Why were basilisks hunted to extinction?” Liz asked. I tried to focus on the conversation, but my mind was spinning. Could Liz be a witch? Some long-lost descendant of a coven? Is that why being with her made us stronger? I was going to have to ask Osric more about that later. Right now, I had to focus on getting that big, hotheaded dragon out of prison.

“This is fascinating,” I interrupted. “But we know Malik isn’t a basilisk. He’s a dragon.”

“What? A dragon? Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Brock said, coming in and stretching out on my bed beside me. “I saw him shift myself.”

“Interesting. Well, unfortunately, New Nebraska is still setting up its infrastructure in Omaha. It hasn’t gotten to the small towns yet. I don’t know how to help you. Normally there would be strings to pull, and I’d be happy pulling them. But right now, there are no strings.”

“What about the Temple?” Liz asked.

“The who?” Osric.

“The Temple, a local community or organization, or whatever you want to call it. They seemed to crop up around the time paranormals had to move here and they seem to have really gotten followers in the rural areas. But it’s run like a cult, shouting a lot of ignorance about halfling and sinners.”

“I haven’t heard of it. I’ll make some calls now” Osric said, then hung up. I sent him a quick text and asked him if the Fae had any texts about witches who had fated mates with other paranormals.

He sent me back a thumbs up.

We all just lay on the bed in silence, in exhaustion and worry.

Finally, Liz broke the silence with a deep, shaky breath.

“Should I leave? Should I just take Leif and run? I don’t want to go. This is my home, his home. But I am starting to wonder if I am selfish by leaving him in danger. They haven’t come for him yet, but they will.”

“I’m not going to lie. Having you and the kid safe and away from these new fanatics would give me peace of mind. But that doesn’t make it the right decision,” I said. “Groups like the Temple tend to grow if they’re not stopped. I’m afraid that if we don’t stop them, you’ll eventually run out of places to run. I don’t think you’ll be able to go to the other side of the wards around New Nebraska.”

“What?” Liz sat up so she could look me in the eye.

“I can taste the magic in your blood. I don’t know what you are, or if you were also a halfling or maybe a witch’s descendant, but if I can taste your blood, the wards the Fae put in place can detect it and stop you from leaving.”

“You’re kidding me,” she said.

“He isn’t. When you’re upset, I can feel your magic,” Brock said. “I don’t know what you are, but I think it’s something we should figure out once we get the dragon back.”

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