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That caused some mild concern, but the consensus was Kalen was around here somewhere, that Sariel’s magic had destroyed Jinn as well. But as they searched the stronghold, calling Kalen’s name, Nick started to really get worried.
Kalen was nowhere to be found. At least not inside.
The search moved to the outdoors. Nick pulled on his clothes again and strode into the sunlight. He, Calla, and the others spread out while Aric and Micah changed to wolf form and tried to catch Kalen’s scent. There wasn’t a sign of him, until a loud barking reached them from about a hundred yards away.
Grabbing Calla’s hand, Nick walked with her through the brush. At last they reached the spot where a group was gathering, all of them staring at a wide black swatch that had been cut through the trees and brush, all the way down the mountain.
Nick nodded at the path. “Looks like maybe Kalen and Jinn fought it out all the way down to the bottom.”
Aric appeared worried about his friend. “But that means Kalen and that monster weren’t inside when Sariel showed up and saved everyone.”
That was a horrible and sobering thought. Some of the guys exchanged looks and then Nick shouted, “Follow the trail to the bottom. Leave no stone unturned!”
Next to him, Calla searched. Nick couldn’t understand why if the trail was clear, the sun was out and birds were singing, they could
n’t find Kalen. He refused to consider that Jinn had taken him hostage. That would be more than anyone could take right now.
Especially Mackenzie, home with their baby son.
The black path stopped at the bottom, right at the waterfall Nick thought of as his and Calla’s. The pool glistened as usual, not a thing out of place.
Except for the Sorcerer’s staff rising majestically from the water, embedded in the sand below. Oddly, the staff was still glowing with power. Nick called out and moved forward as others joined him. He was aware of Aric jogging past, and the redhead stopped and stared at the staff in bewilderment.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Has that asshole kidnapped Kalen?” He started forward.
“Aric, don’t touch it,” Nick ordered.
He moved to the edge of the pool. “I’m not. I’m just going to see—”
The red wolf broke off as something under the water caught his attention. His eyes widened. And then he shouted, long and loud, the sound filled with anger and pain. He vaulted over the rocks and into the water, yanking furiously at the staff.
“What the hell?” Nick and a couple of the others followed Aric, and when Nick saw what had happened, he struggled not to be sick.
Kalen was there. Under the water, impaled through the chest by his own staff, pinned to the bottom of the pool. His eyes were half-open, small bubbles clinging to his mouth.
“Mother of God.”
“Shit! Kalen!”
Working together, they loosened the end of the staff from the bottom of the pool and lifted Kalen out, staff and all. They didn’t dare remove it yet. Carefully, they placed him on his back in the grass and Nick knelt, checking his breathing.
“Need to get some air into him.” Tilting Kalen’s head into the right position, Nick started rescue breathing. It seemed to take forever, but was probably less than a minute before Kalen coughed, water spewing from between his lips.
That the staff hadn’t impaled the Sorcerer’s heart was a miracle. Or perhaps that was due to the magical staff protecting its master. Nick snapped his gaze to Ryon. “Get Zander down here, fast.”
“Boss, he’s not supposed to heal—”
“Do it!”
“Yes, sir.”
While Ryon concentrated on contacting Zan, Nick did his best to keep his team calm. Especially Aric, who was losing his fucking mind.
“Get that thing out of him! How’s he supposed to heal with that in his chest?”
“Aric, look at me,” Nick said calmly. “Probably the only thing that has kept him alive is this staff. And until Zan gets here to tell us what to do, it stays or we could hurt him worse. I know he’s your best friend, but you’re not helping him if you can’t keep it together.”
Aric swallowed hard. “Yeah. Okay.”
