Page 44 of Witch Unbound
Bramble rolled her bottom lip into her mouth. “She also said that if Jasper isn’t back by then, he probably won’t be back at all.”
I stared at her as the implications of what she was saying sank in.
There was no going back via Ida, but that didn’t mean there was no going back at all.
* * *
Conah’sphone went to voicemail again. I stood outside the cabin and took a deep breath, then called Fee. Please go through, please…
She answered on the sixth ring, sounding out of breath. “Cora? Is everything okay?”
Yeah, it was late, an unsociable time for a call, but I needed this. “Jasper’s vanished and I need Conah’s help to get him back.”
I caught the distant rumble of a masculine voice and then the sound of a door closing. I’d interrupted her downtime with one of her guys, but I didn’t care.
This was more important.
“Cora, there are major issues in the underealm right now. Conah and Mal are working with the Academies to resolve them, and Azazel’s making regency visits. I can send a phoenix, though.”
It would have to do. “Please.”
“How long has he been gone, Cor?”
“Too long.”
I filled her in on the abyss trip and circled back to my getaway with the guys, my almost dive off the cliff, and my trip to Tarrifel. I left out the part about my injuries, because I doubted that she’d be so eager to help me go back to the abyss if she knew how dangerous it was. The only reason the guys were on board was because we’d agreed that this time, they’d come with me.
I wrapped up my account. “I seem to be important to this entity somehow.”
“And these…changes…”
“I don’t know.”
“Cora…I’m scared for you.”
She had no idea. Me too. “I’m fine, babe. I got this. I’ll be down for New Year. Christmas is a thing here, so I need to stay for that, but after…”
“Yeah…”
We lapsed into silence.
“Cora…” Fee sighed. “I fucking miss you.”
My eyes pricked. “I miss you too, babe.”
Light spilled onto the porch and kissed my boots.
“Cora?” Rune stood framed in the doorway, his expression etched with compassion.
“I got to go, Fee, but I’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll send the phoenix,” Fee said.
“Love you.” I looked into Rune’s eyes as I said it, the words meant for them both.
“Love you too,” Fee said.
I hung up and walked into Rune’s arms. He hugged me to his broad chest and kissed the top of my head. I didn’t need to tell him the phone call hadn’t yielded the results I’d hoped for. The tears that spilled and soaked into his shirt did that just fine.
