Delaney’s waiting for me at the entrance of the covenstead, her ruby-red lips pursed in obvious distaste. Well, fuck her and her opinions. She purposely manipulated me to get her way, so I don’t give a damn if she’s unhappy right now.
I ignore her entirely and instead focus on Soraya.
“So how does this work?” I ask—more like demand.
I’m desperate to get out of here and see my friends, family, and mates.
“It’s simple.” Soraya’s lips curve into a mischievous smile. “A spell will be placed on you before you’re allowed to leave the premises. It’ll make it so you forget everything that happens from this point onwards. Slade”—she gestures towards an unfamiliar warlock with shoulder-length brown hair and a solemn expression—“and I will drive you home. You’ll ‘wake up,’ so to speak, as soon as you’re there. Does that make sense?”
“Umm…” Trickles of unease reverberate up and down my spine, sinking into my skin like jagged claws.
I don’t like the prospect of losing chunks of time with no way of knowing what happened to me. But, at the same time, I trust Soraya. Or at least, I think I do.
I certainly trust her more than any of the other witches or warlocks here.
“Okay, whatever. Let’s get it over with.” I fold my arms over my chest.
I’ll do anything to see the people I love.
Even lose my memory.
“It’ll feel just like going to sleep…” Delaney interjects, stepping forward.
A twisted smile materializes on her face, and that trickle of unease transforms into a torrential downpour.
Delaney lifts one finger in the air, mutters a word under her breath, then?—
It isn’t like going to sleep. I don’t suddenly wake up or jerk to awareness or anything like that.
No, one second, I’m staring at Delaney’s grinning face, then the next, I’m staring at the front of Hale and Gerry’s house.
Myhouse.
“Home sweet home,” Soraya coos, and I startle, having not realized she’s directly beside me.
“W-what? How?” I blink at her, alarm sluicing through my veins, but she simply arches an eyebrow.
“Don’t worry, Izzy. Nothing happened. You just got into the car with me and Slade, and we drove here.” Her features twist in sympathy. “I know it can be…unnerving.”
“Unnerving?” My stomach tightens into a thousand tiny pretzels. “Ughhh. I think I’m going to be sick. Is that normal?”
“That can be a side effect of the spell.” She winces. “It should wear off in a few minutes.”
“And we have to do this every time I return home?” I place my hands on my knees and inhale greedily.
The fresh air does wonders to quell my nausea, though not enough.
“Unfortunately.”
I’m saved from responding by the front door to the house opening and a familiar voice exclaiming, “Isabella Gracie Martin! You are in soooo much trouble!”
A second later, Jake bounces down the staircase—a golden retriever contained in a semi-human body. His blond hair glints like molten gold in the sunlight.
Tears instinctively prick my eyes at the sight of my foster brother. I really, really missed him.
Jake pulls me into his arms, and an embarrassing sob breaks free. I hope he thinks I farted or something. That would definitely be less humiliating.
He pulls back just slightly to look me over, his brows arched over glowering eyes. “How fucking dare you get yourself kidnapped by witches! Do you know how worried I was? I half expected you to return home with green skin, wearing a pointy hat with a wart on your face.”
