He cringed and hung his head.
Saffie, your job is to stop me if her spirit feels off in any way, okay?
I looked up and met her pale green gaze and nodded.
Rainbow magic burst from her palms and slammed into the ground. All around the circle I saw splashes of color. I glanced down at my feet and saw myself in a sea of golden glitter.
Tegan chanted words in the angelic language. I recognized it but didn’t know the meaning. As her words grew louder and louder, golden light shined from within our circle. Haven’s gold wings popped out. Bettina’s lines on her fingers sparkled.
Gold light shined right down on Henley’s head like a halo. The ground rumbled under our feet but Tegan kept chanting. My pulse quickened. Everyone glanced around to each other. Vines shot out of the ground and wrapped around her ankles and wrists. The vines slithered across her body and then went up and over her head. Henley threw her head back and gasped. Her back arched. The vines dug into her skin. Blood trickled over and spilled into the air.
The vines slithered up and over her entire body, coiling around every surface.
That golden light exploded like the fireworks at Hidden Kingdom.
Henley floated down slowly, her back landing gracefully.
“Henley?” Royce cried. “Hen, are you okay?”
She didn’t get up, but a grin spread across her face. “I’m fine.”
“All right.” Tegan grinned and clapped. “Who wants to go fishing?”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Tegan
Never in a million years would I have foreseen me handing Henley over on a silver platter to the same demon that possessed her in October.
But life had a funny way of doing things.
Except this time the plan wasn’t my own secret to keep. And that was a relief.
I snapped my fingers and my all too familiar white portal box opened up beside me. “Saddle up, y’all.”
There were some grumbles and a ton of nervous energy, but they all jumped through my portal without me forcing them to.
“Um, Tegan?”
I turned toward Saffie’s soft voice…and found her holding on to Constance’s arm. I frowned. “Yeah?”
She grimaced. “I would like to request that Constance remain here. She’s with child and I do not think we need to endanger her and the baby unnecessarily.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t thought of that. I needed to remember she was pregnant and would need special consideration.
Constance flushed and shook her head. “It’s not necessary—”
“Of course it is,” I cut her off with a wave of my hand.
“Tegan is right, Constance,” Tennessee said as he walked towards us. “The perk of having a few extra hands in our crew means the pregnant ones can take a back seat for a bit.”
She sighed and I felt the relief roll through her. “Thank you. I’m here if you need me though.”
I gave her a high five. Then I smiled at Saffie. “Thanks for lookin’ out.”
Saffie grinned. She waved her hands over her body and golden glitter swept over her…and then her dress was gone and she was wearing black leggings, brown boots, and a pale gray t-shirt. She pulled her wand out of nowhere and twirled it between her fingers. “Okay. Ready.”
Riah chuckled and walked up behind her with Olli still in his arms. “Come, love.” He held his other hand out and she took it.
I scanned the room and found everyone had gone through except for Tenn so I looked to the kitchen to Daniel and Kenneth. “You guys all set for surveillance?”
They both gave me thumbs-up without actually looking up. Their eyes were laser focused on the computer screen in front of them. They looked kind of silly all huddled close together and bent over. I pursed my lips and eyed the huge flat screen tv on the wall beside me…I flicked my wrist toward their computer, then at the tv – and the camera system filled the screen.
They gasped.
I winked. “That should be easier, gentlemen.”
When I turned back I found Tenn standing right behind me with his arms crossed over his chest. “Tell me.”
I frowned. “Tell you what?”
He arched one eyebrow and his green eye sparkled. “I know there’s more to your plan than this.”
I sighed and pressed my hand to his chest, right over the glyph that marked him as mine. “There is a phase two but I’m hoping it won’t come to that. But I promise I will tell you before I do anything. I won’t leave you in the dark like last time.”
He stepped back and walked to my portal, then looked back at me. “Just so you know, that wasn’t as reassuring as you think it was. But I’m going to trust you anyway.” Then he winked and leapt into the white light.
I smiled and shook my head as I jumped through the portal after him. He wasn’t going to like phase two so I was avoiding telling him until necessary. When the white light faded and my portal closed, I found a whole lot of confused expressions.
“Why are we in Lookout Tower?” Cooper scowled.
I glanced to Easton and Deacon, expecting some kind of dirty joke at my expense, but none came. Their expressions were stone cold serious. I both loved and hated that.
“Hold that question, please.” I summoned my magic in my hands and focused on the spell I needed…then I pushed my magic out to cover all of Lookout Tower and chanted, “I call upon the power of Fire, Hide all sounds as they transpire.”
The walls around us flashed with rainbow mist.
When it faded, I sighed. “Because he’s used to seeing The Coven here so it won’t be obvious that we’re setting a trap.”
Savannah raised her hand. “Pardon me, but where are we?”
“Hidden Kingdom.” Tenn pointed toward the doorway with his thumb. “Or down there is. This is The Coven’s hideout and safe space.”
“I don’t like being here,” Saffie whispered and shuddered.
We all spun toward her.
She cursed. “I said that out loud didn’t I?”
I nodded. “I’m sorry, Saffie.”
“You are no longer stuck here, Saraphina.” Riah wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. But then he turned his sharp golden gaze at me. “Is it possible for us to stay up here for this? She has a strong tie to this location and that attracts demons on its own, not to mention unwanted attention from Seelie. I’d hate for that to interfere with your plan.”
I opened my mouth, then shut it. Shit, I hadn’t thought of that either. Damn. I am off my game right now. I liked the way Riah thought of things like that and he made a great point. This was a triggering location for her, after all her trauma and pain, there was no reason to make her suffer.
“Good. You can keep an eye on Bentley then,” my dad said with a grin. I must’ve made a face because he looked to me with arched eyebrows. “I’m Dad, he’s nine. Fight me.”
I snorted. “Okay, Dad, down boy.”
Bentley closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m learning how to fight, ya know.”
“And when you can prove yourself capable, I’ll let you join us.” Tenn shrugged. “For now, you’re up here with Riah and Saffie. And the dogs.”