Page 40 of Witch Unbound
“She’s not home yet.”
Leif pulls on joggers from the box and runs his hand through his hair. “You think she’s okay?”
“I haven’t felt anything,” Tor says. “I’ve been checking.”
“But with our connection weakened, will we even feel her?” Leif looks worried.
Tor’s jaw works in agitation. “We have to stay tuned in. Just in case. I don’t like the idea of this abyss place.”
“Me neither,” Leif replies.
I open my mouth to say the same just as a fist slugs me in the solar plexus, knocking the breath from my lungs.
“Fuck!” Leif doubles over.
Tor’s palm is flat on the wall, his face pale. “Cora...”
Another warning slams into me. Pain. Her pain. If I can feel it this strongly through our weakened connection, then… “This is bad. We need to get to her. Help her.”
“She’s in Shady Lane.” Leif gasps and shakes his head. “Tor....”
Tor’s jaw ticks with determination. “We follow the threads, and we tear our way to her if we have to.”
Tor heads out the door, and Leif and I follow.
Nothing will keep us from our mate. Not anymore.
* * *
CORA
The worm flung me across the sand. I hit the ground with a wet gasp. The coppery scent of my blood filled the air. Fuck, this was bad. Real bad. The ground vibrated. It was coming to finish me off.
Move. Cora, fucking move. Tears of pain slipped from the corners of my eyes as I forced myself to roll and stand. A scream locked in my throat as knives sliced into my ribs.
I was breathing too fast, vision blurred.
Not gonna die here. Fuck that.
I needed to get to Jasper.
But the forest was gone.
The worm was almost on me, bloodstained teeth snapping, eager to finish what it had started.
Adrenaline flooded me, muting the pain. I turned and ran straight onto the sandy terrain that had replaced the forest. I was headed away from the circle of safety, but I couldn’t do anything about that right now. I needed to keep moving. There was rocky terrain up ahead; if I could make it, I could smash the gem and get home.
I ignored the hollow pit in my chest screaming that I’d been so close to getting what I came for, because not dying had to be a priority right now. Was I slowing down?
Shit, my head…so fuzzy.
No. Keep moving. Keep running.
There was no pain.
The thundering beneath my feet slowed, then stopped. I threw a quick glance over my shoulder to find the worms no longer chasing me. Thank God. Oh, thank God.
I slowed to a jog, glancing back again to see them turn and slide away.
