Page 18 of Witch Unbound
Okay, Cora, breathe. It’ll be okay.
One step at a time.
Ursula had brought in a couple of extra chairs for the guys and even provided a tablet for us to watch TV on, but nerves were high, and none of us could focus. Instead, we took turns pacing the small room like caged animals.
“How much longer,” Tor growled without breaking stride toward the window. “Surely they should know by now.” He turned on his heel and began walking back.
Was it my imagination, or was the carpet looking a little worn?
“It’s not that simple, Tor,” Rune said soothingly. “The kinds of tests they’re doing take time and finesse. It’s not simple science, it’s magi-science. A whole new field.”
My brain hurt. I just wanted the results, to know one way or the other if I was going to be unmade and reborn into something new. Something that might pose a danger to my loved ones.
God, I didn’t want that. I liked being a tulpa and a witch. I liked me.
Rune sat beside me, lending me his quiet strength by just being present. I glanced at him from beneath my lashes and a pang of desire shot through me. I was hungry for him, and what we’d shared last night hadn’t been nearly enough. I’d almost broken and taken him. I looked across at Tor, pacing the room, hands on hips. The muscles across his back rippled beneath his tee as he moved. My gaze roved over his frame, lingering on his muscular biceps and powerful forearms. What was it about arms that got me going?
Then there was Leif, parked on the floor between my legs, cheek resting on one of my thighs, eyes drowsy as I played with his amazingly silken locks. The motions of my fingers through his hair were soothing for the both of us. Like a fidget toy where the sweep and twist of tendrils served to calm me, and yeah, it was probably going to make his hair greasy, but he didn’t complain. He knew I needed this.
The door opened, and we all sat up straighter as Ursula entered with Micah and Mel in tow.
Wren mumbled and sat bolt upright, wide awake. I couldn’t help but marvel at how he could go from deep sleep to alert so quickly. My pulse raced, shattering the distracting train of thought and forcing me to focus on the reason for our visit.
I tore my attention from Wren and fixed it on the trio by the door, searching their faces for signs of disconcertion. Anything to suggest bad news, but all I found was confusion.
“What is it?” Tor demanded. “What did you find?”
“Nothing…” Ursula gave Mel a prompting look.
“Not exactly nothing,” Mel said with a terse smile. “It seems that the unraveling effects on your DNA have ceased. The mutagen is no longer in your system.”
“What?” I stared at Mel. This was good, right? “Where did it go?”
She shrugged, looking flummoxed. “We don’t know, but then with mystical interventions such as this, nothing is certain, and the laws of human science don’t always apply.”
“It’s gone,” Micah continued. “And as far as we can determine, you’re still a tulpa.”
“You’re still able to access miasma, right?” Mel asked.
I nodded. “Yes, I think so.” I looked to Ursula. “But I tend to use a different kind of power.”
“The Grimswood legacy, yes.” Ursula nodded. “But you jumped here, didn’t you?”
“I did. But I’ve had issues with being able to make jumps.”
“The mutagen could have been interfering with your power,” Mel explained. “But now that it’s gone, you could be fine.”
“So…she’s not changed?” Leif asked.
Mel pressed her lips together and looked to Micah.
“Therearechanges in your DNA, but nothing like we’ve ever seen before. We aren’t able to identify the markers. Unfortunately, only time will tell what effect these changes have had.”
Shit. “So I could still have problems with my power.”
“Yes.”
“So you basically don’t know a damn thing,” Tor growled. “No answers again.”
