Oh, shit. It was all clicking into place. The only piece that didn’t fit was Hunter.
It didn’t matter. We needed to focus on getting them back. “The humans are involved, so we need to contact the Magiguard. They’ll want in on this now.” I didn’t have Ursula’s number. Cora did, but… “Conah, can you please contact Ursula for us before you leave.”
He looked torn, and I knew he was struggling over the dilemma of whether to go to the Underealm or stay to help us.
He was needed there more than he was needed here. “Look. We’ve got this. You need to focus on Lilith and stopping the war.”
“I’ll speak to Ursula now.” He winked out.
I focused on Bastian and Dean. “Put together two teams. One for extraction and one for backup.”
Bastian and Dean headed off to round up the Loup, and I was left with Grayson, Uri, and a catatonic Kristoff.
My stomach churned. My best friend was in danger…and my fated mate…I’d pushed my feelings about his missing status aside over and over because they came from a primal place, a place deep within that didn’t connect with my human psyche, but there was no ignoring the alarms bells my Loup was blaring right now.
I couldn’t shut off the panic and the need for action. I had to get Cora back, and I had to save Hunter.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Cora
“What the actual fuck?” I stand on an outcrop of rocks and look out at the churning gray sea. From my vantage point, it’s clear I’m on an island. A small, rocky island in the middle of nowhere. There’s cover behind me and a trail that leads into it. My bet is that the real HQ of these ouroboros fuckers is that way.
Time to tell the others.
I make the jump.
Pain slashes across my skin, and an unseen force slams into me. I land on my ass, jarring my tailbone.
“Shit.” No, no, no, this cannot be happening.
I take a breath and try again.
Pain and the same slug to the chest, throwing me back.
I’m trapped.
Okay, this is okay. Uri will go back and tell the others, and they’ll come looking and…Fuck, they’ll fall into the same trap.
Focus, Cora. Think.
Jasper! “Jasper!” Come on, where are you? You always sense my distress. I’m distressed, damn you. “Jasper, I need you!”
That should do it. He’ll come get me so that he can gloat.
Seconds pass, the wind tears at my clothes, howling in laughter at my predicament.
No Jasper.
My blood goes cold in my veins as it hits me that maybe he can’t sense me. Maybe whatever’s stopping me from jumping out of here is interfering with our connection. I’ve wanted to get rid of the fucker ever since he latched on to me, but right now I’d give anything to have him here. His snide, cocky attitude and his I-own-you grip would be most welcome this moment. Anything to get the fuck off this rock.
But he isn’t coming, and so I need to get my shit together and deal. I’m here, and if there’s a way onto this rock, there’s a way off it. Another portal probably. Probably through the woodland and at whatever facility lies within. Okay, I may not be able to jump out of this place, but I can jump down from this rock.
I land on my ass, stunned and disorientated for a moment. Seriously? What the fuck? It looks like using that ability is totally off the table on this island.
Okay, no worries. I still have my legs.
I climb down the rise and head for the tree line. I’m beginning to hate forests just as much as Fee hates alleys. I’m almost under cover of the canopy when a sharp click has me stopping in my tracks.
I sense a presence behind me, and then a voice booms over the wind.
“Put your hands up, nice and slow.”
My hands, huh? I raise them slowly, prepared to blast whoever with a nice ball of lightning. I turn and fire.
Knives stab my palms, but no power shoots from my fingertips. The miasma that’s been accessible