Page 77 of Bewitched By the Djinn
“That was him,” she whispers. “That was the real Lord Wallace. In chains.”
Bennet braces his hands on his knees. “They imprisoned him. But why? What is the point? And how does Uncle have the power to create three lookalikes that could maintain our likeness so well and for so long?”
Helen lifts a hand. “Assuming that was our uncle at all. What if he was a doppelganger as well? We didn’t have time to search the whole castle. Maybe he’s in the dungeon too, or gone.”
A heavy silence falls. It’s like the vision has dropped a boulder on top of all of us.
I stand, wiping my hands on my jeans. “How will we find out?”
Helen looks at Delores, then Bennet, then me. “We have to go to Aetheria. As soon as possible.”
Bennet’s eyes fall shut a moment. Then he turns to me. “I am sorry I brought you into this.”
I put my hand on his arm. “It’s okay.” He didn’t ask for this bond either. “We all have family drama,” I tease, but the joke falls flat.
His jaw tightens. “Cassie, your family?—”
“They’ll be fine.” I wave a hand in the air. “I’ll call Mimi, make sure the wards are secure and they don’t leave unless necessary. They can survive without me while we deal with this. Besides, with us no longer in the mortal world, the threat of ifrits here should be nil.”
Delores folds her arms over her chest. “And I’ll stay here. I can help your family, watch the house. Keep the kids safe. As Helen’s mate, I can be a link back to this world.”
Mate? What does that mean?
Helen stares at her. “I want you with me but I don’t want you in danger.”
Delores steps over to her, takes her hand. “I know. That’s why this is the best choice. You can focus on what needs to be done, and I’ll be here waiting when you come back to me. We will be able to feel each other, even through the veil.”
Helen hesitates, pain flashing across her face, then nods. “Then we leave at first light. When the veil is thinnest.”
“And once we’re through?” I ask.
Bennet crosses his arms. “We figure out what is truly happening in our kingdom.”
“And,” Helen adds, “we can find a way to fix your curse so you may return to your family.”
Right. That’s what all this is about. Splitting the bond. I know this.
Then why does my chest ache like something precious is slipping through my fingers?
I stare at the ceiling.
The guest bedroom is luxurious. Too luxurious. Silk sheets, an absurd number of pillows, and a mattress so soft I sink into it like a cloud. It should be comfortable, but it isn’t. I can’t sleep.
Maybe it’s knowing we’re leaving in the morning, stepping straight into danger. Maybe it’s the fact that my life has changed so completely in such a short time, and I haven’t had a second to catch up. Maybe it’s just this stupid, fancy bed.
Anxiety twists low in my gut. We’re not planning to walk into a fight. We’re just supposed to gather intel, figure out what their uncle is up to, and get out before anyone realizes who we are. But if he’s orchestrating a coup, or using dark magic, or been replaced by a pod person, then what happens if we’re caught? I huff out a breath and turn onto my side, punching a pillow in frustration. A glance at the clock tells me it’s close to midnight. Fantastic.
Shoving off the covers, I slip out of bed. The house is quiet, the kind of quiet that is almost unnatural after a day filled with so many people. I don’t even know where I’m going at first until I find myself standing in front of Bennet’s door.
This is stupid. I’m stupid. I should go back to bed.
But then my fingers are curling around the doorknob, and before I can talk myself out of it, I push the door open.
The room is dimly lit by the glow of the moon shining in through the window. Bennet is lying on his back, one arm restingover his forehead, his jaw tense even in sleep. His brows pull together, lips parting slightly like he’s on the edge of speaking.
I shift, about to turn and leave?—
“Cassie?”
