“Aye,” Rory answered, trying to pry himself free. “A little help here.”
“Maura, get scissors,” Bruce instructed.
“Aye,” Maura answered. Rory heard her footsteps hurrying from the room.
Rory braced his weight and called forth his magick to clothe Jennifer’s statuesque form. His energy was weak, but at least it worked now that she was immobilized. The second that she’d attacked, he had been unable to fight her.
“So, what did ya do?” Bruce appeared next to the bed holding Jim.
“It’s the spell. It traps me and leaves me helpless to…” Rory grumbled, trying to pull the hair from his head to break free. Jennifer’s face was trapped with a snarling expression. Her eyes were narrowed as if they still stared at him, but he knew she couldn’t see in her current state.
“Helpless to?” Bruce prompted. “I didn’t quite catch that last part.”
“Helpless so she can stab me with a knife,” he answered.
“Knife?” Bruce walked around to the other side of the bed. “Oh, what do ya know. She’s holding a knife. When Maura comes with the scissors, I wouldn’t move around too much. Ya might stab yourself in the side.”
Maura rushed back into the room. “Don’t move, Rory.”
“Oh, aye, I was just about to pop out for a movie,” Rory answered.
“Don’t take your bad mood out on me,” Maura said.
“Oh, wait,” Bruce said, grabbing their sister’s arm as she tried to lean onto the bed. He took out his phone and snapped a picture.
“Dammit, Bruce,” Rory jerked his head to no avail. “This isn’t a joke.”
“No, but it is kind of funny,” Maura said. “Send me a copy.”
“This will be my entry for the family Christmas card this year,” Bruce said. “Unless she kills ya. Then it would be in bad taste.”
“Hold still,” Maura instructed. “I don’t want to cut ya.”
He heard the scissors slicing through his hair as the grip on his head eased.
“Careful, there’s a knife near your side,” Maura said as she cut the last of his trapped hair. He sat back slowly, barely missing the blade Jennifer wielded toward him.
“I’d be happy to teach ya about pleasing a woman,” Bruce offered with a snicker. “Ya know, so this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”
“This isn’t funny,” Rory stated.
“No, it wouldn’t be funny if she stabbed ya. As it is, she merely tried to stab ya, and that’s a bit funny,” Bruce countered.
Rory saw his kilt on the floor and gestured toward it with his hand, magickally dressing before he came from under the covers.
“She looks…” Maura angled her head and studied Jennifer. “Outraged.”
“Aye.” Rory rubbed his sore head, feeling the uneven locks. He didn’t care that they were cut.
There you are.
He couldn’t get that creepy voice out of his mind.
“This is too close,” Maura said. “I know ya wanted to stay here to make sure she was better, but this isn’t better. She came close to succeeding in her mission.”
“It’s not her mission. She’s under a spell,” Rory denied. Even as he said it, he stared at the blade. A few seconds more and he would’ve been impaled upon it. “This isn’t Jennifer’s doing. She’s being used.”
“Regardless, ya know we need the help of the others on this,” Bruce said.
“She doesn’t want to go to the mansion.” Rory sat on the bed next to her and touched her stony face.
“I understand that ya want to honor her wishes, but it’s no longer her call to make.” Maura patted his shoulder. “It’s time we took her to the mansion. Look at her face, Rory. See for yourself how strong this spell is.”
Rory stroked Jennifer’s face. He didn’t want these days sequestered with her to end, but as he looked into her angry, statue eyes, he knew that it was already over.
“I love her,” Rory said.
“We know.” Maura touched Jennifer’s fist where soft strands of Rory’s hair still splayed from between her fingers.
“I don’t want to be without her. Even if it means she’ll kill me,” Rory said. “If I have to die—”
“How about we leave the dramatics of star-crossed lovers for Shakespeare?” Bruce interrupted. He still held Jim. “We can put her in the back of the truck. I have a tarp and some tie-downs. Everyone will think we’re transporting a Greek statue.”
“Good idea,” Maura said.
“Wait—” Rory frowned. “She’s not furniture.”
“Do ya have a better idea? She’ll weigh a ton in this state, and we can’t exactly bend her knees to make her sit in your car.” Bruce arched a brow as he awaited an answer that didn’t come. “I’ll pull around front. Try to get her ready to transport.”
Bruce left the room carrying Jim.
“I’ll call ma and let her know we’re coming,” Maura said. “We should try to get that knife out her hand before she thaws.”
Chapter Sixteen
Jennifer felt heavy. She couldn’t lift her arms or legs. Her vision was blurred, and though she was sure she blinked, she couldn’t detect the gentle pressure. Patterns of light shifted and moved in front of her, but she couldn’t make out the exact shapes.
“I think she’s coming to.” Cait MacGregor’s voice was the last thing Jennifer wanted to hear.
Had they drugged her again?
Were her lungs taking in air?
Why couldn’t she move?
She started to panic. What kind of new hell was this?
Someone pried at her hand.
“Got it,” Cait said. “Angus could you put this horrible knife somewhere, anywhere? Maybe take it through the mirror portal to Erik’s house and tell him to keep an eye on it for us. The vault isn’t working, and we need to keep it away from her if possible.”
“Aye. Margareta is already there visiting Lydia,” Angus answered. “They say they’re coming up with tea blends, but I know they’re playing with potions.”
“Better not be love potions. I can’t handle more of Erik’s singing,” Euann said.
The blurry shadows moved, but Jennifer couldn’t turn her head to watch them. However, she could follow what they were saying, but she knew there was more to the story she didn’t understand—mirror portals and love potions?
“Do ya think she can hear us?” Euann asked.
Yes. Yes, I can hear you.
A steady rhythm bumped against her shoulder several times.
“Hey, stop that,” Rory ordered.
“She looks angry,” Euann observed. “I almost don’t recognize her with that expression.”
Rory? What’s happening? What’s wrong with me?
“Is that our Jenny Greentooth?” Raibeart’s voice sounded far away. “Looks like she put on a little weight.”
Hey!
Well, they had been eating a lot of fast food lately, but still…
“Ya better be careful, brother,” Murdoch said. “This lassie knows how to wield a knife.”