Page 49 of Earth-Bound

They pouted, two identical expressions. “Are you sure? You could probably use some help.”

“How long have you known him anyway?”

“You’re not very fast at wooing, are you?”

“No. I’d like to woo my mate in my own way, thank you.”

“If you insist,” said Dee.

“We’ll see how it goes,” said Dum.

That was not comforting.

In order to distract them, I turned towards the house and asked, “How are Matty and Anthony getting on with those spells?”

Arram shuddered. “Those spells were not pleasant to see at all.”

I couldn’t have agreed more. There was something nasty about them, some pulsing malevolence embedded deep inside every object in that basement. I’d felt weak just walking in there. I still felt weak now, though I was getting stronger by the day. I just wasn’t as strong as I should be, that was all.

I hoped that, once every trace of Mulgrave was gone, I’d recover my power.

Dee shrugged. “No idea how they’re getting on. They won’t let us inside.”

Dum gave a little bob on the balls of his feet. “I know, let’s go and ask. They can’t blame us for that.”

He and Dee were across the grass and up the path before I even had time to look at Arram in alarm.

“Should we…?”

“Yes, I think it best.”

We hurried after the two dragons and caught up with them standing in the entrance hall. The round-faced dragon called Dimpy was standing there, barring their way with an apologetic air.

“I’m sorry, they said I wasn’t to let anyone inside.”

“But not us,” said Dee.

“Yeah, they meant anyoneelse,” said Dum.

From behind Dimpy, Matty’s voice yelled, “No, Dum, we definitely meant you. You are not to enter this kitchen or so help me—”

He left the threat unfinished.

I asked Dimpy, “How are they getting on?”

“Very well. It will take a few days, I suppose. They need to work slowly to make sure they don’t miss anything but Matty is more than capable of dismantling everything. Anthony is making sure he’s in no danger.”

That was a relief, I must admit. The thrumming menace of the house had haunted my dreams for ten years and it would be a tremendous relief to be able to look at it and not feel any residual fear.

I stood with the dragons and waited for the two witches to report back, when they were ready.

As I waited, I reached down into the earth. It was harder than normal, perhaps because I was so near to all those spells. It took me a while to be able to feel the earth beneath me and spread my awareness out, searching nearby for any sign of Joe. I hadn’t felt him all morning. I’d been up all night, worrying about him leaving. He’d said he wouldn’t leave without telling me. But he didn’t know we were mates, so I wasn’t sure whether he considered that a promise he needed to keep.

At about dawn, I’d finally managed to detect his presence, the touch of his feet upon the grass. He was near. He hadn’t left.

“Terrund?Terrund?”

Dum was waving his hands in front of my face and looking worried. Arram was holding Dee tightly in their embrace.

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