Page 63 of Witch Unbound
Leif simply sighed and patted Rune on the shoulder. “Take care of her.”
Rune grinned at me, hazel eyes crinkling with warmth. “Let’s do this.”
“Not so fast,” Sloane said. “We’ll need to let Anna know.”
I groaned. “Do we? I mean, do we really?”
Sloane chuckled. “Protocol for the anchor. Come on. Jump us there and we can get it over with.”
I allowed her to take my hand and laced my fingers with hers before giving the others a reassuring nod. “I’ll be back in a few.” I made the jump.
* * *
I was expectingto have to fight Anna on this, but as soon as she heard that Ursula was missing and that the children taken were witches, she was on board.
“You’ll take Lauris,” she said. “Faerie has been in eternal night for decades. He’ll be able to assist you. And you’ll take this…” She unpinned a brooch from her lapel and handed it to me. I’d never noticed it before, but it was a golden rose.
“As long as it remains gold, you’re safe. Once it starts to turn black, you’re in danger and you need to find your way back home. Do you understand?”
“I’ll make sure we do,” Sloane said.
Anna fixed her gaze on her. “Not you, Sloane. You do not have permission to go.”
Sloane flinched. “What? Why not?”
“Faerie has a strange effect on vampires. It brings out their bestial nature, which is all very well if the vampire is in control of their primal side, but not for you. You still have to master yours, and you could be a danger to Cora and the others if you go.”
Sloane clenched her jaw, obviously torn, but then she nodded sharply. “I get it. I understand.”
“I’m glad,” Anna said. “Because Cora and the others will need you more than ever when they return.” She pressed her lips together. “From what you’ve told me, you’ll be traveling deep into Faerie, and from what I’ve learned from my fae sources, the deeper you go, the more chance of an infection.”
“Infection?”
“There’s a darkness in Faerie, a plague, a sickness, and it’s eating away at the realm.”
“It’s why so many fae have come here…”
“Yes,” Anna said. “So you must be careful. Sloane and The Elites will prepare a tincture to cleanse you all once you return, but it won’t work on the severely infected. I’m afraid those unlucky few will need to be confined by the Magiguard.” She locked gazes with me. “The lives you’re going to save are important, but we cannot risk losing you, so watch the rose and leave as soon as it blackens. You’ll only have a handful of hours by then.”
I pinned the brooch to my top. “I promise.”
And I planned to keep it.
* * *
Outside the room,Sloane drew me into a shadowy alcove, pressed me up against the wall, and kissed me. I lost myself in the shape of her mouth, the imprint of her lips, and the rasp of her tongue wrestling with mine. Desire, heady and potent, unfurled between us, zinging across my skin and flushing my cheeks with warmth.
She broke the kiss, but I chased her lips with mine, reluctant for it to end. She tasted sweet, like chocolate, the orange-flavored kind. I licked my lips, gaze flicking up to tangle with hers. There was a tumultuous storm in her eyes, one I’d seen in Tor’s and Leif’s too.
Fear.
“You come back in one piece, you hear me?” She lightly touched her forehead to mine. “Please.”
I nodded mutely, not trusting myself to be heard past the pounding of my heart.
She stroked my cheek with her thumb and my eyes fluttered closed for a moment.
“We have so much left to explore, Cora. I can’t lose you just when I’ve accepted that I need you.”
