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I took a deep breath and met Alexander’s eyes again. “Later I’ll want you to walk me through things in more detail, but for now I just need to know when you first noticed the girls were gone.”
“Right before the tethers snapped, your parents were entertaining the girls with a rousing game of Candy Land in the playroom. All of the Shadow Wolves you sent were in the TV room immediately adjacent, except of course for Marie and Chester. Regina was in the playroom with the girls while I was sitting in a chair near the doorway where I could see both them and the others in the TV room.”
Alexander’s expression grew sympathetic. “We knew the moment the tether snapped because one of the Shadow Wolves had the presence of mind to shout a warning. Regina yelled that she’d shield the girls from Marie, and I replied that I would take care of the other wolves. I figured casting a sleep spell on them would be the fastest, most efficient way to keep both them and everyone else safe.
“Your parents logically trusted Regina, Marie, and Chester to keep an eye on the girls so they ran out to assist me. No sooner did they step outside the playroom than someone slammed the door and Regina—presumably—cast a Radiant Seal upon it so we could neither hear what was going on or open the door. Your parents took over maintaining the sleep spell and I moved to breaking past the Seal. Unfortunately, by the time I broke back into the room, all five of them were gone without a trace.”
He smiled grimly and then held out two game tokens in the shapes of colorful gingerbread men. “Although I’m confident that you and I linking our power should be able to track them using these.”
My pulse picked up speed. “That would make this much easier than my having to depend merely upon our blood ties.”
“I thought as much. Shall we?”
I nodded and reached out to accept the tokens with one hand and to claim his free hand with my other. Typically I would have deferred to him leading our magical link, given his greater age and experience as a Beacon. But since I was the one related to the girls by blood, that would grant me an advantage in tracking them with magic. Especially with the tokens they’d so recently touched to use as a focus.
Radiant energy responded to my call instantly, forming a temporary link between Alexander and me that would greatly expand the strength and range of any spells I cast. I focused upon the tokens in my hand, picturing the girls in my mind and demanding that magic show me in which direction they’d been taken.
My eyes snapped open. “North!”
The chauffeur immediately pulled around my parents’ circular driveway and headed north. The three other vehicles in our miniature convoy fanned out to one side and behind as we sped along the St. Louis streets. I closed my eyes and focused on calling out a new direction each time the magic responded to my queries. Connor and Shea placed supportive hands upon my thighs, something that felt comforting. Just knowing I wasn’t alone in this nightmare helped in a way I hadn’t expected.
The next few minutes passed in a blur of magic and speed, interspersed with the drivers of our vehicles having to occasionally backtrack to follow my directions. I drew comfort from the fact this spell wouldn’t work if both girls weren’t still alive. Made keeping my hopes up a lot easier.
Excitement thrummed inside when I realized we were getting close to wherever the girls were being kept. I pictured pulling up to to some anonymous location, battling our way past Spellbinders, rogue wolves, and potentially my closest friend. And then I imagined pulling the girls into my arms and never—at least for a week—letting them go.
Which was why it took a moment to realize my cell phone was buzzing insistently. Connor helpfully retrieved it from the pocket concealed in my little black dress and held it up to my ear. I shook my head to clear it, keeping half my attention on maintaining the tracker spell and the other on speaking.
“Hello?” I managed to get out.
Only to stiffen in shock when I heard Grandmother’s voice demand, “What under the Moon and Sun is going on in that gods-forsaken city, Ava Muriel?”
The wolves on each side of me grew even more rigid when their superior hearing allowed them to recognize the voice on the other end. Few among the magical community wouldn’t know that voice, from television if not personal experience.
Rage over my sister’s death mixed with terror for her daughters meant I had zero desire to engage in diplomacy. “I don’t know, Grandmother. Why don’tyoutellme?”
Her voice became uncharacteristically hesitant. “I wouldn’t be asking you if I already knew.”
I rolled my eyes, not that she could see. Probably for the best. Reluctantly, I allowed the tracking spell to fade and summoned a Radiant Seal around the limo. No sense in risking any of our enemies overhearing anything sensitive.
“I still haven’t figured out what the hell is going on. All I know for sure is that Maddox and Kayleigh are dead, traitors are crawling out of the woodwork, and I’m tracking Rory and Sorsha with Alexander’s help. After they were evidently kidnapped by their two Pack bodyguards—and Regina St. Clair.”
“Your best friend, Regina St. Clair?”
“YourKansas City Beacon, Regina St. Clair,” I countered defensively.
“Well, whether she’s currently acting as your best friend or my Beacon, it seems likely she has incentive to help keep the girls safe.” I opened my mouth to argue that fact, but she abruptly changed the subject, “My contacts in St. Louis claim you and those three cousins of Maddox’s acted quickly to retether the St. Louis Pack.”
Trust Grandmother to use the word “contacts” instead of “spies.”
“We did. Not like we had a choice.”
“Too true. No one can fault you for carrying out your duties. Besides, we can remedythatsituation later.”
Hearing her evenhintabout me passing on the St. Louis Beaconship—and my bond with the three wolves around me—had me baring my teeth even though she couldn’t see it.Over my dead body.
Which was an all too depressingly real possibility.
She continued, “For now, though, I have concerns with you putting yourself in more danger to track the girls yourself.”
