Page 80 of Witch Unbound
“And the others?”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Gone.”
Eaten.
I felt sick.
Ursula blinked rapidly and sniffed. I gave her a moment to collect herself, to push down whatever memories were surging to the surface. Had she seen her colleagues be devoured? Fuck, how was she keeping her shit together?
Finally she took a step and staggered. Rune’s arm shot out to steady her. “I’m okay.” She smiled up at him bravely. “Just…exhausted.” She jerked her chin toward a wooden door reinforced with metal. “We need to get through that door. That’s where they hold the people they steal from our world. I heard children crying.”
While Rune wrapped his arm around Ursula’s waist to support her, Wren and I crossed to the door. I expected it to be locked, but it wasn’t. I was about to tug it open when Jamie materialized right next to me, his expression grim.
“That’s where it happened.” His solid form wavered and grew translucent.
He was afraid. “You don’t have to come with me, Jamie.”
“Who are you talking to?” Ursula asked.
“Jamie. Leana’s missing boyfriend.”
She looked taken aback. “Jamie’s here…Oh…Oh no…” She scanned the area around me. “I guess we can’t see ghosts here.” Her gaze flitted to me. “But you can.”
“I don’t know why, but I’m glad. He got us down here.” I took a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped into a cream-tiled, magnolia-walled room lined with glass chambers filled with amber fluid and containing…people.
“It’s a lab…” Ursula said from behind me. “A fucking lab.”
Chapter Nineteen
BRAMBLE
Idon’t like being left behind, but I get why Cora’s done this. Her power, temperamental recently, can’t be relied on to transport too many people. Still, waiting sucks. It’s much better than being dead, though.
I fecking died.
Thinking about it makes my brain hurt.
Thinking about everything Minerva said spawns panic moths in my stomach. She thinks I’m some kind of savior. Some royal fae bloodline. She’s convinced.
I mean, makes no sense to me unless fae royals are in the habit of abandoning their offspring in the human world.
But, no, she’s adamant. No idea why I was left in the human world. No explanations for that, but she wants me to come back. Says there’s a place I need to go, but won’t tell me what that place is, or why I need to go there.
Like hell am I abandoning my life and my friends to go off to some unknown place for some unexplained reason. Funny how she can’t see why I’d be reluctant.
I run my hands up my arms to quell a sudden shiver. She could have left me dead. She brought me back because she believes I’m special.
I’ve never felt special in my life, so that’s a crock.
The woman is obviously delusional, and that’s fine. We got what we wanted from her; now all I want is to go home.
“You okay?” Lauris asks.
I start at the sound of his voice. He’s been so silent I’ve allowed myself to slip into my own head.
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.”
