head. “That’s just it. I keep trying, kind of aiming where he went, and that wormhole closed. The math said it would.” She released her friend and wiped rain off her cheeks. “But before. When Ivar went through the hell loop. He didn’t come back the same way.” She looked back at the ripples in the water. “There’s another way.”
Mercy nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’ve never paid a lot of attention, but I’ve jumped to Brookville from other worlds besides this one. What does that mean?”
Brookville was a jumping-off point for the hell dimensions, because that’s how Niall had thrown Ivar into it. Promise whirled around, spraying water. “You have to take me to Brookville.” Hope filled her chest.
Mercy’s eyes filled. “I can’t. I won’t be able to jump for a week or so. Niall shot me, remember? My abilities are gone.”
“Mine aren’t,” Logan said from the doorway.
Promise pivoted. “Will you take me?”
Logan studied her with those deep green eyes for a moment.
Promise started toward him with Mercy by her side. “Please. If I can feel him from there, then he should be able to sense me too? Right? Maybe there’s a way to catch his attention. I don’t know, but we have to try.” Yes, she was actually going on faith. For Ivar. There wasn’t time to test her hypothesis.
Logan nodded. “All right. He held out his hand. “Let’s go.”
She grabbed it and shut her eyes, letting Logan take her out of the world. They landed harder in Brookville than she had with Mercy, and it took her a minute to catch her balance. She opened her eyes.
“What now?” Logan asked, stepping away from her.
“I’m uncertain.” She walked around the meadow, trying to sense Ivar. Then she focused on a graph point, reaching out mentally, receiving nothing, and then moving a foot in the other direction, like the dial on an old-fashioned clock, moving clockwise.
Logan stepped farther away, keeping an eye on her. She ignored him.
A slight buzzing caught her attention, and she turned quickly to what felt like west. More strength. Her mind opened up, and the marking on her lower back started to heat. “Ivar,” she whispered. He was there. She could feel him. Shutting her eyes, she reached out with senses she couldn’t explain. She reached out with every feeling she had for him, throwing them all beyond any universe she could imagine.
The sky opened, and he dropped down, landing hard and bouncing, his body engulfed in fire.
“Ivar,” she yelled, running to him and sliding on her knees the last several feet. She patted the flames on his chest. Logan rushed over and grabbed Ivar’s shoulders, swinging him around and dunking him in the nearest brook. Steam rose up, hissing from the contact.
“Geez.” Ivar winced and pushed himself up from the water. Burn marks covered his face and down both arms. “I have totally figured out all this math shit. Nailed it.”
Logan’s fangs extended, and he cut into his wrist, pushing it against Ivar’s mouth.
Ivar drank, and the burn marks slowly disappeared. He lifted his mouth away. “Thanks, buddy.”
“No problem.” Logan flopped back on his butt, his chest heaving.
Promise gasped. “How are you here?”
“Math and science, baby.” Ivar grinned. “I used those equations you were doing in the helicopter, projected a different trajectory, and kept on twisting and turning until I could sense you again. You’re right. Math rocks.”
She sniffed and smiled. “Math can save us all. How’s Quade?”
“Living. Hopefully surviving until we can figure out how to save him and leave Ulric,” Ivar said. “I left him enough provisions and I believe he’ll live until we get to him again. Soon.”
Promise crawled to him, hugging him tight. “I totally can’t explain the math. Not completely.”
He chuckled and pulled her into his lap, holding her tight. Then he rocked her, kissing her neck. “We have forever to figure it out, sweetheart. And I’m going to make you very happy. I have those 3D devices for you.”
She sniffled, holding on with all her strength. He’d promised to come back, and he had. Oh, they had work to do, and they had to get to it, but right now she just wanted to hold him. He was safe, and he was hers. Always.
Logan cleared his throat. “Let’s get back home.”
Ivar leaned back and kissed Promise on the nose. “Home sounds good.”
* * * *
Ivar tipped back his beer bottle and watched the jubilant kids play the games on the other side of the pool table. It was his first