Page 36

CHAPTER 36

E lora rinsed her toothbrush and stuck it in the holder as, beside her, Jonah did the same. He met her gaze in the bathroom mirror, his face a grim reflection of the worry on hers.

It felt utterly ridiculous to be doing their regular bedtime routine, considering that tomorrow, they’d be battling the most powerful witch Elora had ever encountered. She wished for the hundredth time that her grandmother was here. While Jonah had been showering, she’d called her grandmother’s cell phone despite knowing it was pointless. Even if Helen did answer the phone, it wasn’t like she could get back in time to help Elora. The phone hadn’t even rung, just gone straight to her voicemail and at the sound of her grandmother’s voice, Elora had nearly burst into tears.

Making her voice cheerful, she’d left a quick message for Helen, but her voice had almost betrayed her when she’d told her she loved her. She’d ended the call quickly and then called Sarina’s phone. She’d done an even worse job of keeping it together in her voicemail to Sarina, and her sister would know immediately something was wrong if or when she ever listened to Elora’s message, but what did it matter? By the time Sarina heard the message, Elora would have defeated Malencia, or she’d be dead.

Or a dark witch yourself. You heard Agnes… there’s a darkness in you now.

She took a shuddering breath, ignoring the fear that shot through her. The increase in her magic might be more powerful than she expected, and she might be struggling to control it, but that didn’t mean she was becoming a dark witch.

She’d lit some lavender incense and did a quick meditation while Jonah finished showering. When she’d joined him in the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, she could almost pretend that she wasn’t terrified.

“We should try to get some sleep,” Jonah said.

Elora nodded and followed him to the bedroom, sliding between the cold sheets. Jonah climbed into bed, and they immediately crowded together in the middle of the bed like kids afraid of the boogeyman.

He wrapped her in his embrace and kissed her, their legs tangling together and their bodies pressed up against each other. They lay silently for a few minutes before Elora said, “It’ll be okay, Jonah. We’ll have the fae to help us tomorrow.”

“Have you heard from Nimera?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, but they’ll help us. Caleb is the father of Nimera’s baby. They won’t leave him to die.”

“Maybe,” Jonah said. “Elora, I -”

She knew what he would say, knew he would apologize for the umpteenth time, and she suddenly couldn’t stand to hear him say it, couldn’t stomach to see the guilt in his eyes. Not when no part of her regretted falling in love with Jonah. She was scared, sure. Hell, she was fucking terrified, but she had no regrets, and she didn’t want him to either.

“I love you,” she interrupted. “I love you, and even if I had known this was coming, I wouldn’t have changed a single thing.”

She cupped his face and stared into his dark eyes. “Not a single thing, Jonah. I would fight a thousand dark witches for you.”

A faint smile crossed his face. “Is that right?”

“Yes,” she said. “I love you. I will always love you.”

“I love you too,” he said. “So much, little witch.”

She smiled as the hot tears spilled down her cheeks. “Then show me, honey. I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to think, I just want to feel how much you love me. Can you do that for me?”

He kissed her, his mouth fierce against hers as his hand cupped her breast. “I can do that.”

* * *

“Bren, you’re making me nervous,” Elora said.

Bren stopped pacing the kitchen. “You’re facing down a dark witch in less than three hours, and I’m making you nervous?”

“Yeah,” Elora said.

“Try Nimera again,” Bren said.

“Jonah just tried calling her. She isn’t answering,” Elora said. “I don’t think we’ll have the fae’s help with this.”

Bren muttered a curse before pacing again, and Elora reached out to take Jonah’s hand. He squeezed it before smiling faintly at her. He’d been quiet since they’d woken this morning, a look of calm determination on his face, and even Nimera disappearing on them hadn’t seemed to upset him.

Kaida rubbed her belly before reaching out to take Bren’s hand as he walked past her. “Sit down, Bren.”

He sank onto the stool beside her as Cece stood. “I’ll make some tea.”

“Thanks, Cece,” Elora said, even though she was positive she wouldn’t be able to swallow a single drop.

Bren stood again. “I’m gonna call -”

They all froze when Elora’s phone rang. She glanced at it. “It’s Ronin. He and Tori are on watch out front.”

She answered the call. “Hey, Ronin.”

“A woman is walking up to the house. I can’t smell worth shit, but Tori says she’s a fae,” Ronin said.

Relief rocketed through Elora, and she slid off the stool. “Thank you. We’ve been waiting for her.”

She hit the end button and grinned at Jonah. “Nimera’s here.”

She practically ran to the front door and yanked it open. Her smile faded as she stared at Nimera. The fae’s face was pale, her eyes were swollen and red rimmed, and she looked like she was about to vomit into the front flower bed.

“Nimera?” Elora took her hands as the fae stepped into the house. “Are you okay?”

Her lips trembling, Nimera shook her head. Elora led her into the kitchen, giving the others a worried look as she helped Nimera onto a stool. “Cece, is the tea ready?”

Cece placed a steaming mug of tea in front of Nimera, who stared blankly at it.

“Nimera, drink the tea,” Elora urged.

Nimera took a couple of sips, and Elora’s dread grew when tears slipped down her face to splash into the hot liquid.

“What’s wrong?” Elora asked.

“The fae aren’t going to help,” Jonah said.

Nimera started to cry in earnest, and Elora slipped her arm around the fae’s shoulders. “It’s okay, Nimera.”

“It isn’t!” she sobbed. “Jonah is right. My family is… they’re refusing to help. They said I should forget about Caleb, that he was only human and that I could find a fae husband who wouldn’t be too upset at having to raise a half-fae.”

Anger filled her face, turning her pale skin a bright red. “They honestly thought I would just forget about Caleb, about how much I love him.”

She turned to Elora. “I begged them to help, and they still refused. Why would they do that? Why would my family refuse to help the man I love?”

“Because he’s human,” Jonah said.

“I left them,” Nimera whispered, her hand cupping her round stomach. “I packed a suitcase, and I left. I won’t go back there, and now I’m… I’m homeless.”

She made a sound that was half-laugh and half-hiccup. Elora glanced at Jonah, who said, “You’re not homeless, Nimera. You can stay here for as long as you need to.”

She stared at him, her eyes bright with tears. “Why would you do that for me? I just told you my kind refuses to help save Caleb.”

“Because Caleb loves you, and I know you love him,” Jonah said. “You’re my family now, too.”

Nimera started to cry again, and she reached out to take Jonah’s hand. “I’m so sorry they won’t help.”

Elora kissed the top of her head. “You aren’t responsible for your family’s choices.”

Nimera took a deep breath and a fortifying sip of tea. “I believe the three of us can save Caleb. I have to believe it.”

Elora and Jonah both shook their heads, and Jonah said, “You’re not coming with us, Nimera.”

She glared at him. “He’s my mate, Jonah. I won’t leave him to -”

“You’re carrying his baby, and Caleb will kill me if I let you come with us,” Jonah said. “Your priority is keeping yourself and the baby safe until Caleb comes home.”

“I’m going,” Nimera said.

“You’re not,” Elora said gently. “I know you want to help Caleb, but your magic isn’t strong enough. This witch is powerful. You know that. You saw it for yourself.”

Nimera started to cry again. “I love him so much, Elora. I just want him back.”

“I know, and we will bring him back to you. I promise,” Elora said with a certainty she didn’t feel.

Bren pulled his phone from his pocket and slid off the stool. He headed out of the kitchen, and Elora said, “Bren, what are you doing?”

“I need to make a few calls,” he said.