“I’m notyourlittle anything,” Lexi retorted.
“Easy, Kitten.”
“You’re such an asshole.”
“This is true.”
Before she set his ass on fire, Lexi focused on the others. “What about Kaylia?”
“There was no sign of her,” Brokk replied.
“We have to find her.”
“We will,” Cole assured her before focusing on the witch. “Do you agree to keep this to yourself?” If she didn’t, he’d lock her in one of the cells.
The woman rested a hand over her heart. “I swear, on my daughter’s life, I’ll never tell another soul about this.”
“That won’t matter. Others saw the girl get run through, but none of them are here. That will buy us some time and keep it from the Lord for a little while.” The woman nodded, and Cole shifted his attention to the other children. “Keep them quiet about this too.”
“I will,” she promised.
“What about Kaylia?” Del asked.
“We have to find her, but since we have no idea where any of the other witches are, I don’t know where to start,” Cole said.
“I know where they are,” the woman said. “We weren’t expecting the Lord to come at us so brutally, but we have a realm we designated as our safe place to escape to. When you’re ready, I’ll take you there.”
“Won’t the other witches have a problem with that?” Brokk inquired.
“We agreed to help the dark fae king and his arach fiancée against the Lord before they arrived. The witches would want me to help you, especially after what happened in Verdan, but I’ll face those consequences if they have a problem with it. I don’t think they will.”
“Should we go now to make sure Kaylia is okay and not in the Lord’s hands?” Brokk asked.
While it wasn’t likely the Lord took any prisoners, they had to know if Kaylia was dead or in another realm. But when Cole looked at Lexi, covered in blood and with her shoulders hunched, all he wanted was to get her cleaned up and in bed.
He’d be jeopardizing everyone in this realm if they didn’t find out about Kaylia. Even if they captured her, he doubted she would tell the Lord anything, no matter what he did to her, but he had to learn the truth before leaving this room.
But if he went to that other realm, Lexi would insist on going with him.
“Can you open a small portal to this other realm?” he asked the witch. “One big enough for a hand to fit through?”
The woman frowned at him. “I can.”
“Then do so.”
Her jaw tightened a little, but she waved a hand at the floor, and a small portal opened before her. Lexi’s fingers dug into his back as a single shadow slipped through the portal.
“Cole,” she whispered.
“It’s fine,” he assured her.
This was nothing compared to what he’d unleashed on Verdan. He was in control of the shadows again. Still, he felt them digging their way deeper into him as he used their power to search out Kaylia.
And then he spotted her kneeling amongst the injured, covered in blood and shouting orders. He pulled the shadow away, leaving her to the witches and this new realm.
She was alive, safe, and he could trust her not to betray them or their location. Once Lexi was rested, they would go to see her.
Cole retracted the shadow. “She’s fine. You can shut the portal.”
