Benny sipped slowly, his eyes blazing through the darkened night. “Let me get this straight. She can’t just whip back and forth? It actually takes the same amount of time as it would for us in a car? Or walking?”
“I believe so, and it’s my understanding that she kind of latches on to a sensitive being in the process,” Karma admitted, taking another drink. The Scotch was tasty. She hadn’t liked beer; she was more accustomed to wine. There was always wine in the Kurjan strongholds, and she was partial to Chianti, although this Scotch could become a favorite. “She was going to try to reach Terre on her own, but I’m worried about her. Usually I’m the one doing the work for the spirit.”
“Like what?” Benjamin asked.
She paused with the glass almost to her mouth. Nobody ever asked her questions. “Oh. Well, years ago, one human man asked me to send a letter to his fiancée, and I did. Another woman asked me to say a special prayer for her, and I did. Just a few months ago, a teenager asked me to email his parents from his account, and I did so. I had to get sneaky, but I managed to do it.”
Benjamin’s lips curved in a half smile. “That’s sweet. What did the kid die of?”
“Cancer,” she murmured. “He just wanted an email from him to them about how he wasn’t scared and loved them. He said he’d save a place in heaven for them. We made sure to backdate the email and send it to an account the parents didn’t check all the time.”
“That’s kind of you, Karma,” Benjamin said.
“I’ve tried to help the females I’ve met in the Kurjan camps, and now I might not be able to help them any longer. I can’t go back after I get my girls.” The guilt felt heavy.
“Not your fault,” Benjamin said. “You’ve done what you could, and I have no doubt there will be more people to help, wherever you end up.”
Warmth, stronger than that from the Scotch, filtered through her body. Right beneath her skin. “You’re the kind one.”
“Ha,” he said. “I’ve been called many things, but kind isn’t one of them.” He took another drink of his Scotch. “This Linda has been with you longer than most?”
“Definitely.” She took a bigger drink this time. “Ever since the twins came to live with me, Linda has been there. She doesn’t want to cross over until they’re safe, which I understand.”
“Where do people actually go? Do you know?” he asked.
She smiled. “Not really, but they don’t seem scared, so I figure it’s a good place. For most people, anyway.” She sipped delicately. “Linda will try to find where Sam is, don’t worry. At the very least, we know the Kurjans are close-by and don’t seem to be moving yet. She said they were staying in tents somewhere.”
Benjamin shook his head. “I never thought I’d get help from a ghost.”
“I believe they prefer to be called spirits,” she murmured. “May I ask you a question, Benjamin?”
He chuckled. “You can ask me as many questions as you like.”
Could he get any kinder? “Are shifters animals?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, they shift into animals. Canine, feline, or bear. And it’s a secret, but there are dragons. Few and far between.”
Dragons? Fascinating. She’d had no idea. “That’s not what I meant. Are they just animals? Not evolved?”
“Oh. No. They’re just like you and me, but they can shift into animals. I’ve never known of anybody who could shift into an animal other than the ones I mentioned.” He took another big drink. “Keep it a secret about the dragons. I’m sure I’m not supposed to tell anybody.” Then he turned to her. “So. Wanna make out?”
Chapter Twenty-Two
For breakfast, Karma dished scrambled eggs onto her plate in the sprawling dining room of the main lodge and then sat on the deck, where Mercy was waiting for her.
“Did you get some of the watermelon?” Mercy asked, nearly bouncing in her chair. “I cut it into small pieces that we can throw at the guys if they tick us off.” She grinned, but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Lines of stress extended from the edges, and dark circles were smudged below them.
Karma sat. “Did you not sleep at all last night?”
Mercy ate part of a cinnamon roll. “I slept a little, but Logan didn’t sleep at all. He kept going through the satellite feeds, trying to figure out which way the Kurjans went.”
Karma patted her hand. “We’ll find Sam. I have Linda working on it, and she’s determined.” She hoped Mercy didn’t think she was insane or lying. “I believe Benjamin called Logan earlier this morning to let him know about Linda. Perhaps the information she finds will help somewhat.”
“I hope so. It’s pretty cool that you can see spirits.” Mercy perked up as Logan and Garrett strode out of the lodge into the meager autumn sun. “There are pancakes, too. I made them with huckleberries that were still left in the freezer. They’re not as good as Haven’s, but at least I didn’t add salt to the recipe this time.”
Karma looked toward the lodge. “Where are Haven and Quade?”
“They left at first light to reach out to the Fae nation. Haven is half-Fae, so she’s taking my place handling diplomacy right now. I want to stay here with Logan until we find Sam.” Mercy took another bite of the roll. “It’s good for her to spend time with them. She was raised human rather than Fae.”
Karma took a sip of her mimosa. The Seven seemed to drink a lot of alcohol, but she wasn’t complaining. “You and Haven weren’t raised together?”
Mercy shook her head. “Nope. We didn’t even know of each other until after she mated with Quade. It’s so awesome to have a sister. Did you have sisters?”
“No. I was an only child, which was rare back then,” Karma said. Would she have tried to return to a sibling after her mate had died if she’d had one? If she’d had a sister like Mercy, then certainly she would’ve tried her best to reconnect.
Mercy looked over Karma’s shoulder at the side of the deck, her eyes widened, and then she spit out her mimosa. She coughed wildly and gestured crazily.
Logan and Garrett both stopped short on the deck, their jaws going slack.
Karma slowly turned to see what had shocked them. “Oh my goodness,” she whispered.
Benjamin Reese stomped across the grassy area by the river, his combat boots making deep imprints. He wore a too-tight long-sleeved blouse that was buttoned to his neck as well as a long skirt that forced him to shorten his stride.