The artifact. It is now far to the northeast. Very far.
We tracked the wolves’ scent in grim silence, following exhaust fumes and the musk of shifters to a church that butted against theMondeine boundary. A ward hummed across the entrance, and a sign identified the building as the Seattle Teleportation Station.
I had feared as much.
We landed, shifted, and passed through the ward to find four motorcycles cooling in the lot. Their riders were gone, my treasure with them. Half a world now separated me from the only thing keeping my mind intact.
“I need to retrieve it.” I had intended the statement to sound commanding. Instead, I sounded like a man fighting to keep his head above water.
Tyrin’s gaze held mine for a long moment. Recognition settled into his features. He showed no pity, for he would never insult me with that, but the sober understanding of a warrior who recognized the stakes.
“Yes, m’lord,” he said. “We will make haste and reclaim your prize.”
I DON'T WANNA POOF
Ziara
Iwoke to the smell of soap and the sight of my boyfriend studying my throat like it was a crime scene. His hair was still damp from the shower, and the furrow between his brows told me he didn’t like what he saw.
“It’s healing,” he observed out loud, and I couldn’t tell which of us he was trying to reassure. “I let you sleep as long as I could, but it’s time to get you into the shower.” He threw back the covers and offered me his hand.
The extra hours of sleep had done wonders for my body, because my legs were only slightly unstable when I stood. I released his hand and focused on putting one foot in front of the other without face-planting.
“How do you feel?” He hovered at my elbow, close enough to catch me if my legs gave out.
“Fine.”
“Need help in the shower?”
On any other morning, that question would have come with a smirk and a dimple. Today, it came with worried eyes, and that was somehow worse.
“I’ve got it.”
“You sure? I could?—”
I slipped into the bathroom and closed the door before he could finish the offer. What I really needed was sixty seconds without him looking at me like I might break.
A glance in the mirror confirmed why Mack was so concerned: gaunt cheeks, ghastly complexion, dark circles around my eyes, a scabbed-over, bruised neck, and blood-caked hair.
Sexy.
I healed fast, but all magic came with a price, and Sereana had drained the life out of me to power her spells. My stomach rumbled, cannibalizing itself for the energy necessary to deal with this day. Dismissing my undead appearance, I quickly showered and dressed in my usual dark T-shirt and tactical pants. Then I worked my hair into a French braid that hung down to my lower back to keep it out of my way.
Mack was pacing in the living room when I reemerged. His gaze slid over me before he met my eyes and asked, “You ready?”
“Almost.” I hurried into our bedroom, slid my daggers into their sewn-in thigh holsters, and frantically grabbed clothes from my dresser, stuffing them into my bag. If I could have gone back in time, I would have kicked myself for spending yesterday in bed with Mack, rather than packing, but I hadn’t expected to be so out of it last night.
“The alpha didn’t give you any hints about where we’re going?” I called out.
“Nope.”
“Great. Super helpful,” I muttered, focusing on my bag. The next compartment held a collection of herbs, lockpicks, rope, and knives. I’d restocked everything before going after the bloodstone, but I still did a quick inventory of the contents. The spray bottle of Sereana’s magical scent eraser was a little under half full, but nothing could be done about that now. Even if I’d known to ask her for more yesterday, she never offered anything for free, and I hadno energy to spare.
“Why don’t you head to breakfast, and I’ll catch up,” I suggested, organizing the next compartment.
“Not a chance.”
Someone knocked on the front door. I zipped up my bag and headed into the living room just as Tali let herself in.
