Page 89 of Witch Unbound
Rune strode toward the rift. “We have to go now, before the rift closes.”
Bramble shook her head and made to move past us, but I grabbed her arm tightly. “Getting your ass killed won’t help Lauris.”
“We’ll gather a combat team and come back,” Ursula promised. “I have a score to settle too.”
Bramble made a sound of exasperation.
“Bramble, you can’t do this alone.”
“Feck.” She nodded. “Fine. But we move fast.”
“You have my word,” Ursula said.
The rift flickered. “Now,” Rune said. “Before it closes.” He rushed toward it with me and Wren clutched in his arms.
The world tipped and we materialized outside a house on a familiar residential street. The same house where Lauris used the key to get us into Shady Lane. The same one the guys had almost broken into to get to me.
“Stay here,” Ursula ordered us. “Stay in the shadows. I’m going to call on transport.” She pulled a small disc from a hidden inside pocket of her jacket and pressed it three times. “Won’t be long now.”
Bramble swayed and grabbed hold of Ursula’s shoulder for balance. “Shit.”
“That cut needs to be looked at,” Rune said. “You probably have a concussion.”
“I’ll heal,” she said. “I just need a minute.” She flopped down on the doorstep. “Or two.”
“We’ll get you checked out at HQ while the combat team suits up,” Ursula said.
“How long before they—”
The air crackled, cutting Rune off, and several Magiguard appeared on the street opposite the house.
Ursula strode down the path and across the road to join them. I was too exhausted to focus on listening in on their conversation, but whatever it was, it didn’t last long. She headed back to us with two of the Magiguard in tow.
“Riley and Finn will take you guys back to the cabin. Bramble, you come with me.” She smiled grimly at me. “Looks like our Magiguard case is linked to the Order. Can I trust you to inform Anna what happened?”
I nodded. “You’ll need The Elites to go up against the warlocks, especially if they have revenants with them.”
“The revenants can’t hurt us. They can’t feed off us. We’ll clear out any warlocks, and once it’s safe, we’ll send a team to take you in for a sweep.”
“How will we get back in?” Bramble looked panicked. “The rifts we used are closed.”
“We’ll locate another rift. They open and close all the time.”
Riley and Finn flanked me and Rune.
“I’ll need to take her,” Riley said to Rune. “We can’t transport more than one person each.”
Rune narrowed his eyes at the Magiguard, a vibration rattling his chest.
“I can stand.” I gently pushed at Rune’s chest, and he lowered me carefully until my feet touched the ground.
His grip on me relaxed enough for me to take my own weight, and as soon as I did, my knees gave way and he was forced to grab me again.
A jacket was thrust my way, and I looked up at the Magiguard holding it out, gaze averted from my naked form.
“Thank you.” I smiled at him even though he wasn’t looking at me.
Rune helped me into the jacket, supporting me with a solid arm around my waist, then zipped it up with Wren snuggled against my chest. The jacket covered me from neck to mid-thigh.
