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Rez glanced around. Oregis was right. Four big shifters in black suits and ear-pieces were converging on them.
When he glanced back at the podium, he saw that Cruce’s gaze was fixed on Holly. He’d probably
sharpened his vampire vision and brought her into focus. Cruce smiled and leaned down to whisper something to Lanarae.
The dark fae’s gaze followed his line of sight until she, too, was looking at Holly.
Rez spoke aloud. “We’re made. But like hell I’m leaving until I’ve disrupted some of this travesty.”
He wound up his battle power and aimed his hands at the crystal ceiling. He fired a long, sustained blast that traveled the length of the ceiling and sent a shower of red, clear and black crystals over all the guests.
Women screamed, men dove for cover. He grabbed Holly’s arm and pulled her to the right. Oregis hung onto his hair. Smart move by the gremlin.
Holly’s voice entered his mind. You want us in the time-path?
Take us in.
He could sense Holly’s time-pathing vibration. Just as three of the shifters reached them, they’d moved inside and were safe.
Oregis leaned against Rez’s head. “Talk about the nick of time. That shifter was going to grab my neck. One twist and I’d be dead.”
“Your warning saved us.”
“Why aren’t we leaving? We’re not supposed to stay in the continuum, right?”
Rez turned toward Holly, but her eyes had glazed over. “Holly?”
No response.
~ ~ ~
Holly didn’t know what to do. Rez’s mother was right in front of her, in the time-path.
Marion pathed, Blink, Holly. Blink.
She forced her eye-lids down once.
The ghost continued, I don’t have a lot of time. You need to take Rez out of here. Now. His daughter is in one of the glass cages over to your right. Don’t look. I don’t want my son to see her. There’s no way he could handle this.
Holly felt frozen with fear. She knew if she made the wrong move and Rez saw Isobel, he’d lose it. What father, even a warrior like Rez, would have enough self-control to remain calm.
Now, listen to me. You’re going to have to be very brave and rescue Isobel without the aid of my son. You must return in an hour to Isobel’s cell not far from Lanarae’s workshop. Cruce and Lanarae will have taken her there by then and put her back in her shackles. Do not bring Rez with you. Do you understand?
Holly nodded. Marion smiled then simply faded away.
Rez shook her shoulders. “Holly? What’s wrong. I’ve been calling to you and you haven’t responded. Are you okay?”
She blinked some more and his face came into view. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’m fine, but I’m overwhelmed by what Cruce and Lanarae have done to innocent humans and realm-folk.” While she spoke, she slowly pivoted so that she was facing the glass case to her right. The guests had dropped to their knees to avoid the crystals and appeared as if frozen in place because of the time-path. Rez moved with her which put his back to the same enclosure.
There she was, a young woman with wavy brown hair. Though she was emaciated, the resemblance to her father was unmistakable. On either side of her, the ghosts remained, two watchful, protective sentinels. Tears streamed down her face.
Marion’s voice was once more inside her head, almost a shout. Leave now.
She saw it as well, that Rez had started to turn around, no doubt to catch sight of what she was looking at.
She pictured his home in Boylbury. As before, the time-path took them straight to his house. She stepped into the present, turned and ran for the bathroom. She slammed the door shut, then locked it.
She had to be alone.
