His body looked strong. Healthy. It was so worth it.

Tying the sheet around his waist, his eyes began glowing, and harshly he ordered Bindi, “I don’t think this is anything you can fix. Call my dad. Tell him we need help now and to bring Elder Farrar.”

Bindi blinked, appearing as if she was going to faint instead of the strong physician she was, but she nodded dazedly and quickly raced from the room.

Ezra scooped me into his arms, Bonnie going along for the ride on my stomach, her eyes blinking as slowly as mine. His grip was bruising he held me so hard, his brightly glowing gaze intent on the doorway to wherever Bindi was outside this room.

Only a few moments later, she raced back inside. “He’s coming. I’ve explained that you’re awake and there’s a situation.”

A second later, there was a bright flash from beyond the doorway in the living room. Cahal blurred into the bedroom, stopping directly inside with assessing eyes. Antonio, Elder Jacobs, and Elder Merrick raced into the room after him, doing exactly the same.

Breath wheezing, I tried to keep my eyes open as Ezra stated instantly, “Bindi said I had silver poisoning.”

Cahal’s gaze was intent on his son. “Yes.”

In fact, everyone was moving categorically slow, watching him.

“I don’t anymore.” He jostled me a little in his arms and his voice trembled. “Lily did some kind of spell and now something’s wrong with her.”

Antonio stiffened, his gaze crashing to mine. “Lil?”

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Voice only the barest sound, I wheezed, “He’ll live.”

“She keeps saying that,” Ezra shouted, his gaze slamming to mine. “What did you do?”

Antonio began approaching with slow motions even as Cahal began moving forward, each with their hands out, walking side by side. Their eyes were intent on Ezra, and Antonio murmured softly, “If she used a spell, I need to touch her to see what’s wrong.”

Ezra stiffened, lifting me higher in his grip. “Don’t you already know what she did? You see the future and it was,” a Vampire hiss vibrated throughout his body against my side, “a f**king spell. Where else would she get it from?”

Antonio shook his head, both he and Cahal stopping in front of us. “I didn’t give it to her. I may see the future for certain issues, but not everything. I don’t know what she’s done.” He paused, and then whispered, “I love her as my own daughter, Ezra.”

Ezra was visibly trembling, but after a silent moment he nodded jerkily, sitting on the bed. Readjusting me on his lap and placing Bonnie’s limp body on a pillow — Clyde instantly nuzzling against her — he turned his glowing eyes on Antonio. “If I find out you’re lying, I’ll strangle you.”

I blinked up at him, breathing, “Not nice.”

He growled. A Vampire one. Directly at Antonio. “No, I’m not f**king nice.”

Antonio cleared his throat, and fluidly and — very — slowly got to his knees in front of Ezra. He lifted a hand while Cahal hovered directly next to him, watching Ezra. His hand gently rested between my br**sts and began to glow. Antonio jerked instantly, his breathing rasping. His eyes on mine, his voice shook. “Oh, Lil.”

“What?” Ezra asked rapidly. “She doesn’t feel right. I know that much. Her heartbeat’s faltering. She can hardly breathe. Can’t move. And her Core power’s off.” A pause. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Her Core power’s off?” Elder Jacobs asked, sounding like he was talking to himself.

Antonio’s gaze never left mine, even as he lifted his other hand, murmuring absently, “This can’t be right.” Placing his other hand on my forehead, he began to glow, whispering, “Retrieve.” Immediately, he began to visibly shake and sweat dotted his brow, his body glowing even brighter.

I felt nothing odd, but the brightness bothered me so I turned my head away. My eyes met Ezra’s. His green gaze was still glowing bright, piercing through Antonio’s radiance. His didn’t bother me so much, even if his gaze was furious. Feeling sleepy, I started to shut my eyes, but that wasn’t to be, since Ezra jiggled me repeatedly, making me keep my eyes open.

Brusquely, Antonio shouted, “Fucking retrieve, goddamn it!” And he blasted us all with a brilliant light, so bright it had to rival the sun’s.

I heard Ezra grunt, but his grip only tightened on me in the golden glow.

It was suddenly gone and Antonio teetered to the side, hands sliding off me, his golden head of hair falling forward as his head dipped. Cahal grabbed his shoulders, catching him, but Antonio jerked at the contact. He pushed Cahal’s arms away almost drunkenly, muttering, “I’m fine.” He didn’t look fine, and coming from me that was saying something, since I was close to being dead, my vision faltering only to spurt to life with each catching breath.

Cahal snorted but didn’t try to help any further.

“I got it,” Antonio mumbled, his back hitting the wall where he sat on the ground and staying there, his head listing to the side. But his eyes glowed again as he brushed hair off his perspiring face. He waved a lazy finger, and suddenly, a transparent image appeared directly in front of him.

It was of the beach. I blinked — my breath faltering again — realizing that it was a memory. My memory. Because every once in a while, the moving landscape would alter when I had glanced down, looking at Bonnie. There was even the sound of my breathing and the ocean waves and the seagulls. It was from earlier today.

They were going to see the deal I had struck.

Ezra’s grip tightened on me when he saw the door appear in the vision.

“Jesus f**king Christ, Lil,” Antonio muttered. “Tell me you didn’t…” He trailed off, watching as I opened the door and stepped through the opening. “Oh…shit.” Glancing sharply at Elder Merrick, he stated in a cold voice, “Get Elder Harcourt in here. Now.”

Ezra growled, watching as I moved through the forest, even as Elder Merrick left the room. “What the hell is that place?”

“A restricted Mage space,” Antonio whispered, standing to his feet and moving around the image to position himself on steady legs next to us and Cahal. “She never should have been there. It’s forbidden.”

Antonio flicked his finger, and the image began fast-forwarding. And then went blank. Black, nothing there. He grunted and flicked his finger again, and the image came alive, but in reverse. Another flick and the scene became me running through the silent forest again at regular speed. Only to have the image go blank again.




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