Lexi gazed at the child before looking up at Cole in confusion. “I felt—”
“Don’t,” he interjected before she could say anymore.
He was sure the woman knew Lexi was an arach, sure that knowledge had spread rapidly through the witches’ realm after the ball, but the arach powers remained a mystery to most, including him and Lexi. He intended to keep it that way.
After this, word would get out that she could heal, though he had no idea how she’d done it. He suspected Lexi didn’t know either. Until they figured it out, he hoped to stem the flow of her newfound ability from spreading.
They should keep as many secrets as they could from the Lord. Those secrets were small weapons they could use against the Lord.
“Is she… is she okay?” Lexi whispered.
“She’s better than okay; she’s alive,” the witch breathed.
“Let’s get this girl and her mother somewhere to rest while the child recuperates,” Cole said.
“Of course,” Del said.
He shot Cole and Lexi an inquisitive glance as he walked over to the woman but didn’t say anything further. As he knelt before the woman, a portal opened behind them, and Sahira emerged with two children. The witch turned to the children and staggered to her feet.
“Maribelle, Agnes!” the woman blurted. “Where is your mother?”
The younger girl, Agnes, started sobbing as she clutched her kitten closer. The older one squeezed her sister’s shoulder and lifted her chin.
“She’s dead,” Maribelle replied in a voice far too mature for someone her size.
The woman’s breath sucked in. “Where is Melisandra?”
“We… don’t… know,” Agnes said in a small, hitching voice before using the back of her sleeve to wipe her nose.
“She wasn’t home when the attack started,” Maribelle said.
The woman embraced the children, drawing them close as Brokk and Maverick emerged from the portal.
“It’s okay,” the woman whispered. “You’ll stay with me until we find your sister.”
“And what if she’s dead too?” Agnes wailed.
“Then you’ll stay with me. But you’re safe now. Come.”
She led the children to her daughter as Sahira closed the portal and slumped against the wall. The color had drained from Sahira’s face, and shadows circled her eyes. She must have opened both portals and it had weakened her, Cole decided before shifting his attention to the witch.
CHAPTERFORTY-FOUR
“You’ll keepwhat happened here with Lexi and your daughter to yourself,” Cole told the witch. “I understand it’s only a matter of time before what she can do gets out, but we need that time, and we have to keep the Lord from hearing about this.”
“Hearing about what?” Brokk inquired.
“You missed all the fun stuff, brother,” Orin replied. “It seems our little arach is holding out on us and is a bit of a healer.”
Sahira straightened away from the wall. “What?”
“The child will live,” Orin said and waved a hand at the girl.
They all shifted their attention to the bloodied girl as she took another small breath.
“Holy shit,” Maverick whispered. “How isthatpossible?”
“Our little arach is becoming more powerful,” Orin said.
