Page 77 of Curses and Cauldrons

“No.” I rub my chest, my heart thumping rapidly and aching like a fist is squeezing it tight. “Where’s my phone?” I wheeze, tossing the pillows off the couch, as I search for my lost technology.

“It’s on the table, Jojo.” Penelope points. I snatch it up and dial Roman. I pace behind the couch while Piper straightensout the mess I made. Everyone’s eyes are on me while the call rings and rings. I shake my head and hang up when it goes to voicemail.

“Someone call Bram.” I gasp, finding it hard to take a breath.

“What’s going on?” Ava asks. Stellan sits up, dragging a hand over his face and rubbing his eyes. Ambrose has his phone out and is dialing Bram before I have to ask again.

“What?” Bram’s voice crackles through the phone; he’s shouting over the background noise. Fuck, probably the fire department trying to save his house.

I rush over to Ambrose’s side, tempted to rip the phone from his hand.

Ambrose puts the phone on speaker so we can all hear. “Is Roman with you Bram? He’s not answering his phone and Josephine says something’s wrong.”

The staticky sound of the phone rubbing against something accompanies Bram’s words. “He went to his place a while ago to get another coat.” He pauses. “He should have been back by now.” There’s more shuffling and the background noise grows quieter. “Someone used magic to set this fire.”

“Who?” Ambrose asks.

“I don’t fucking know,” Bram growls on the other end. “But I’m going to find out.”

“Can you check on Roman? Please. Something is wrong,” I beg. I don’t know Bram very well, but I know how much the two brothers love each other.

Bram’s response is choked off when something booms on the other end of the line. Ambrose nearly drops the phone.

“Bram? What the fuck was that?” Ambrose shouts into the phone, but the line is dead.

“We need to go,” I cry out and rush for the door.

“You can’t leave without me.” Penelope comes running up behind me.

“You don’t even have a car here,” Ava shouts.

It’s pure chaos. I stop in my tracks, fear eating away at my strength.

“Something is very wrong,” I whisper, my hand shaking as my magic burns too hot in my chest. The sensation of losing the ability to use my limbs has me sagging against the wall. Roman is in trouble. There’s no rational reason I know this, but I feel it in my chest. In the same place that my magic usually glows like a warm fire. A dull ache in my left hand has me taking a breath and shaking out my arms. My finger throbs like it’s been burned, and I hold my hand up. There’s a faint black mark on my ring finger.

“Holy Maiden, Mother, and Crone.” Is that… Is that a bond mark? I don’t have time for this. Roman needs my help.

“Jo,” Penelope cries out, reaching for me but pulling her hands back just as suddenly. Tears waver in her eyes.

“I’m okay,” I gasp, focusing on leveling out my breaths. “We just need to find Roman.”

“Bram took the only vehicle that would fit all of us.” Ambrose’s face holds worry for the first time since I met him.

“I have my car here. We’ll just have to take two cars.” Piper nods at me, letting me know I’m not alone.

“We don’t even know where we’re going.” Stellan’s hands are clasped behind his head, making him look even larger than normal.

“Bram said that Roman went back to his place. We’ll have to start there.”

“Let’s go.” I don’t wait for anyone to respond. I dash out of the house and beeline it to Piper’s car.

Piper, Penelope, and Odie rush out behind me. The others head to one of the cars in Ambrose’s massive garage.

The plows have been through town, but the streets are still greasy with packed-down snow. Piper’s old Civic has tires that should have been replaced two years ago and they keep spinningout. She’s going as fast as possible without launching us off the road. My knuckles are white from clutching the door, but it’s a toss-up if it’s from the driving or my worry for Roman.

Piper’s phone rings, and she picks it up, answering but keeping her eyes on the road.

“Hello,” she says right before she sucks in a shaky breath. “Please don’t.” Piper lowers the phone and tosses it into the center console.

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