Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE

COLLINS

“Bash!” I dove for him as soon as Stellan’s magic carried him closer. My arms still trembled but all I had to do was touch the vines and they turned to dirt. I wiped at the dirt while checking for new wounds. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?—”

“We’re even?” He groaned and pushed himself up on all fours. Then he stared at me. “On the ditching?”

I sighed. “I won’t if you won’t.”

He nodded. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” I patted myself down in case something hurt but nothing did. “I’m just cold.”

“Oh shit. You’re soaking wet.” Ellie dropped down beside me and held her hands up. Purple magic flashed and then I had on a thick fuzzy robe. She grimaced. “For now?”

I nodded and hugged my robe tighter. “Thank you.”

"Who are you? What just happened?”

I jumped at the unfamiliar voice, forgetting entirely there was another person in the hall with us. When I looked down, I found the raven-haired girl with big brown eyes staring up at me like I might stab her. I frowned. “Zita?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yes?”

Bash looked up at me. “You know her?”

“No. But I was just at Peggy’s, and she warned me to look out for a Zita with black hair who is family. That’s you, right?”

Her eyes welled with tears. She nodded.

“Hi. I’m the real Collins. That was Tephine disguised as me by using a very specific potion.” I summoned crystals to my palm, then held them out to her. It took a lot of strength to do it, but this girl seemed like she’d earned the proof. “And I’m the only one who can do this. ”

Zita blinked down at my hands. “Because you’re the real Stone Keeper?”

“Yes.”

“What are these stones?”

“Stones for emotional balance and calming. Hold on to them.” I dumped them into her palms. “Citrine, green calcite, aquamarine, blue chalcedony, howlite, and black tourmaline—I like a variety.”

“That reminds me.” Savina crouched down and held out a handful of stones that I’d given to her for strength. “Looks like you could use it.”

I sighed and squeezed them in my palm, feeling the tingling energy seeping into my body already. “Thanks. Is anyone injured?”

Everyone shook their heads.

Bash glanced at our group, then scowled. “Did you find Nickel?”

My spine straightened. “What do you mean?”

Ellie cursed and put her hands to her head. “Tephine did something with her, but pretended, as you, to tell us Tephine left with her.”

Savina cursed. “That’s why we were outside looking for them.”

“Shit.” Ellie ran for the stairs. “Maybe she’s hiding in the infirmary?” she yelled over her shoulder.

I tried to stand but my legs were jelly.

“What drained you so much?” Bash asked as he wrapped his arm around my waist and helped me up.

“I just sprinted here from the Hudson River?”

“That explains the smell,” he mumbled, but when I opened my mouth to snap back, I saw a little smirk on his face. “Let’s find Nickel, shall we?”

“Come on, Zita,” Mom said softly behind me. “Stay with us.”

“Seeing my wings on her was particularly brutal,” I heard myself say as we all hurried down the stairs.

Bash sighed heavily. “I’m so sorry. Are you still hurting?”

I frowned. “Ya know . . . no. That’s weird. I mean, didn’t I just wake up like today or yesterday? What the hell day is it?”

“I think that drink you had in Jacksonville may be to thank for the rapid healing,” Bash whispered.

A cold chill slid down my spine. In Jacksonville I’d drank a glass of wine that I’d been fairly convinced was blood, but now that I’d healed so quickly, I was fully convinced. And it had to have been Riven’s. Even if none of that made any sense.

“NICKEL?” Ellie screamed before the rest of us even got inside. “ Nickel! ”

Stellan cursed, then I heard cabinets opening and closing. “Where could she be?”

We rounded the doorway into the infirmary to find that the two mage soulmates had torn the whole room apart, closets included. There was no sign of Nickel anywhere.

Ellie looked next to panic. “I don’t understand.”

“Maybe she wasn’t here at all?” Sandra grimaced. “Maybe Tephine just knew to say her name to send us into a panic?”

“Well, as fair as that sounds for her . . .” Savina shook her head. “Where else would she have gone? She’d just dropped Maren off not long ago, then said she was taking her post here?—”

“Oh good. You’re here.”

We all spun at the sound of Lexington Prescott’s voice and found him standing in the open doorway of the infirmary with Nickel draped in his arms. My heart stopped. I gripped Bash for support, bracing myself for the worst news.

Ellie whimpered and flew across the room to her. “Nickel! She’s alive. Thank God.”

“She crawled to my door and then passed out the second I opened it.” Lexington crossed the room to lay Nickel on a bed. But then he glanced over his shoulder at me and frowned. “Collins, you’re healed already?”

I groaned. “That was Tephine disguised as me.”

Lex growled. “I think it’s time to outlaw that damn Freaky Friday potion.”

Everyone nodded at the same time.

“Ellie, the cabinet with the gold handle has some healing stuff?—”

“On it!” She darted across the room.

Mom spun to face me with a scowl. “Wait, where’s Jada? Your note said she went with you?”

“She did. And we made it back to Megelle Island but . . .” I shook my head. “Long story short, Venus shot her in the throat with an arrow while we were racing here. Three of Tirian’s daughters brought her to land where Holden and his wolves had a truck ready to load her up.”

They just stared at me with horror on their faces and their auras flashing.

I shuddered. “A lot happened just now. We need to help Nickel first.”

“I’ve got her.” Lex grabbed potion bottles from the same cabinet Ellie was searching in. He spun, then was suddenly at Nickel’s side. “You all need to get her dead.”

Ellie ran back over after him. “You know how to heal?”

Lex rolled his eyes. “I am almost five hundred. We didn’t have modern medicine in my youth. Now, go, I’ve got Nickel.”

“Thank you, Lexington.”

He gave us a small smile, then shooed us out the door.

“Let’s get back to Peggy’s.”

None of us spoke as we went back up to the portal and jumped through it. Bash and I were last to go through. When we stepped out onto her snowy front lawn, we found the others standing like statues with their jaws dropped.

Because between us and Peggy’s porch had to be twenty wolves.

And they were just watching us.

“What the hell is going on?” Stellan asked softly.

“I told you, the sirens and wolves are guarding our captive. And wolves escorted Jada here.”

Then the front door opened, and Holden came out. He stopped short when he saw us and smiled. “Glad to see you’re all back in one piece. I’m heading back to the fun zone at the shore.”

“Thanks, Holden.”

“I’m going to leave some of the pack here—just because it allows us to communicate across far distances.” Holden whistled, and all but four gray wolves took off running. “The ladies here want to be around in case they’re needed. Don’t hesitate to ask.”

We all waved to the four ladies .

“Thanks again, Holden.”

He nodded. “Thanks for letting us help. Feels good to be useful.”

Then he lunged forward and landed on all fours as a huge wolf.

“He didn’t mention Jada,” I whispered.

“But he was smiling, that’s a good sign.” Mom squeezed my hand, then led the way up the porch to the door. She paused to wave at the wolves. “Ladies, if you’d like to come in for warmth or a snack, don’t hesitate.”

All four wolves nodded.

We let ourselves in the door and into the living room only to find Jada lying on the wooden coffee table with Duvall Bow and Nash Vauntero kneeling at her throat. There was a mixture of medicine and magic with the surgical tools and vials, as well as one wooden wand.

I gasped. “Nash, I didn’t know you were here.”

Nash looked up with a sideways grin. “Oh, you didn’t think all that howling would get my family’s attention? Lark and her girlfriend, Kate, saw Jada go down. I got here before she did.”

My stomach turned. “Is she . . . how is she . . . the arrow . . .”

“Missed the important stuff, luckily.” Duvall looked over his shoulder at us. He grimaced. “We hope to have her on her feet soon.”

“Has she woken?”

Nash shook his head. “We have her under for now, but she’s stable.”

“Okay.” I nodded and wrang my hands. “Did Holden say anything about Venus?”

“She’s secured.” Nash handed Duvall his wand, then looked back to us. “My entire family is surrounding her on land and in the water. Vampires can hold their breath a long time, which apparently was very entertaining for my siblings to watch Venus learn.”

I opened my mouth, then shut it. Wolves, sirens, and the Vauntero family. They’d all seen us in trouble and rushed to help without any of us asking. A hot lump of emotion formed in my throat.

Bash cleared his. “We owe this Island a lot of gratitude.”

“It’s nice to feel needed. Especially my family. We know damn well how lucky we are to live in First and the hell the rest of you are in. We can’t go into the other realms to help, so in a weird way, it’s . . . a relief to have something to do here.” Nash chuckled and shook his head. “The wolves and sirens tend to feel like outsiders from the rest of the Island because they’re hybrids—their wording, not ours—so I know they feel like we do on this. Every siren, every wolf, and every Vauntero over the age of fourteen is surrounding Venus right now. I promise you. Constantine is hoping she tries to escape.”

“He can’t kill her.”

“We know. Tirian told us. Still, Con hopes she tries.” He grinned wickedly. “He’s old. He needs this.”

Bash’s whole body relaxed. “Tell him he can get a few swings in while we wait.”

“Oh, I may have taken the liberty of telling him that already.”

“Okay, so they have her. Good.”

“Um, hold up, mates.” Stellan raised his hand. “If you have Venus captured, why isn’t she dead yet?”

I groaned. “She told us Tephine bound her to Third Realm as well.”

Bash’s body stiffened. “What?”

“She claims to be bound like your mother, so we can’t kill her?—”

“That’s a lie.”

“I know. I mean, I suspect it is a lie.”

Mom scowled. “We’re to believe Tephine happened to bind herself and the only daughter we haven’t killed yet? She did this before Bash ever came to find you?—”

“It’s a lie.” Bash sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s stalling in hopes she can escape.”

The others all nodded and pointed to him.

I shrugged and sank onto the couch. “I know. I agree. But what if we’re wrong? I mean, Venus could be bound and that’s why she’s been more distant until now. I just couldn’t make that call . . . not with Weston and Shylock inside Third right now. Not with all those innocent fae there?—”

“ They’re back! ” Peggy yelled from the doorway to the kitchen. She sprinted across the room and tackled Zita in a hug. “Are you all okay?”

We nodded.

“Well, no. Nickel is unconscious but Lexington was tending to her.”

“He knows what he’s doing,” Peggy said softly as she pulled her phone out. “He’s been alive a long time. But I’ll check in and see if I can offer any help.”

“Thank you, Peggy.”

Maren walked in from the kitchen, her dark eyes scanning the group until she spotted her wife. “I got a little too comfortable being out of the danger zone.”

Savina went to her and pulled her in. “I know. I’m sorry.”

I took a deep breath, then let it out. “Look, we all believe Venus is a liar, so let’s just go ask Zuriel right now if she’s bound?—”

Mom’s phone rang from her pocket. With a frown, she pulled it out but then her face fell. “Florida area code.” She answered it on speaker. “Hello?”

“This is Gaston.”

“OH! I gave him your number.” I jumped up and moved close to the phone. “It’s Collins. I’m here.”

“It occurred to me that she is asleep right now, can I just put it on her while she sleeps so you can do what you need to?” His voice was low and rough, like he’d woken from sleep with the thought. “As in right now? Or is presenting it to her part of the deal?—”

“No, oh my God. You’re brilliant, Gaston.” I swallowed roughly. “Yes, just put it on her right now.”

“Hold please,” he grumbled.

Silence.

No one moved or spoke. Even Nash and Duvall were quiet.

Gaston cleared his throat. “It’s on her. She tends to wake at dawn, so you need to act immediately.”

I looked over to the mages. “Maren, is it ready?”

“Yes,” she answered without hesitation.

“Perfect. Okay, Gaston, we’ll do it now from here.”

“Fine. Send me a text when it’s done.”

“Thank you, Gaston. We owe you one.”

Gaston sighed. “And I hope I won’t need it.”

Then he hung up.

Maren pulled away from Savina. “Give me two minutes.” Then she ran into the kitchen.

Nash and Duvall went back to working on Jada.

Mom glanced around the room. “Where are Phil and Vic?”

“They said something about someone named Tyra?”

Mom’s face fell but then she shook herself and nodded.

“Tallulah?”

She closed her eyes and nodded. “They’re on top of it. Leave it be for now.”

Peggy cleared her throat. “So, can Zita go home yet?”

Nash looked up from Jada’s throat. “Zita? Zita Moretti?”

Zita’s eyes widened. “Yes?”

“You found her?” Nash asked Peggy, then it must have clicked. “Wait, you’re Zita.”

“I am.”

Nash’s eyes widened. “Where did you find her?”

Bash crossed his arms over his chest. “My mother had her. Peggy, Zita, you can explain what happened to Nashville later. I am sure his parents will want a word with her.”

“Who are your parents?”

“This is Nashville Vauntero,” Peggy whispered.

Zita went sheet-white.

“But for your safety, Zita . . .” Bash ducked his head to get her attention, “I would not leave this house until we kill Tephine.”

“At all?” she cried.

“She cannot get beyond the barrier on the Island, that’s why she sent you to trap me with that crystal?—”

“Excuse me?” I turned to my soulmate. “What crystal?”

Zita nodded. “Yeah, what was that?”

“Mother went to Zita to deliver a special onyx for me to wear.” Bash glared at the ground. “That stone negates power. So long as someone wears it, they will have no magic. That’s why I sealed it within her body.”

My stomach tightened into knots. “I’m sorry. You did what ?”

“He shoved it inside the wound on her stomach, then closed the wound with some gold gel that sealed it right up.” Zita shuddered.

Nash and Savina pursed their lips and nodded in approval.

Stellan raised his hand again. “So she has to cut it out of herself?”

Bash smirked. “Yes.”

Everyone chuckled.

Zita sat up straight. “Wait, did you know that wasn’t Collins the whole time?”

He looked right at me even though I hadn’t asked it. “I suspected it but knew for certain the very moment I laid eyes on her.”

“How?” Zita groaned. “Because I did not.”

He didn’t look away from me. “You know your soulmate.”

“So . . . my son ?—”

Bash gave her a small smile. “Technically, Zita is safe on the Island anywhere, but I would not take any risks until she’s dead. You’ve waited ten years to go home, Zita, I’d hate to see you get this close and not make it.”

Zita’s eyes were red and teary. “But what if she goes for my family?”

“She means her human family who cannot come here,” Nash added without looking up.

Zita blushed.

Bash shrugged. “I assure you my mother does not know who they are. She saw her chance and took it. No offense, but you don’t mean enough to her to know who you are.”

“I suppose that’s a relief.” Zita tugged on the tie of her coat. “And if my Aunt Barb knows I’m here, she’ll tell my family, so it’s safer if they don’t know.”

“Stay here. Stay safe and hidden. This is almost over.”

She nodded.

Bash walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. “I will escort you home to your family and explain it all myself. Just hang tight for me, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Okay! We’re ready!” Maren yelled from the kitchen.

Peggy jumped up. “Can Jada be moved?”

Nash frowned. “With magic preferably.”

Duvall pointed to Stellan with a proud grin.

Stellan gave him a salute. “On it.” His silver magic wrapped around Jada’s body, then lifted her up to slowly fly into the kitchen with Nash and Duvall right behind them.

There was a beat of silence and then Stellan slid back into the room.

“Nope.” Peggy rubbed her hands together. “Clear the room. Everyone else out.”

Stellan shook his head. “I’ll leave once I know that potion sits right.”

I glanced over at Bash, but he was just glaring at nothing.

Maren walked back in with a small cauldron and two glasses. She sat the glasses on the table, then poured the potion into them. “Drink it right here in front of me. I need to see.”

Ellie picked up a glass, then held the other glass out to me. “This is a testament to my trust in you, Collins.”

I felt my face burn as I took it from her. “I’d drink it for you too.”

Ellie smirked “Bottoms up?”

“Three . . . two . . . one.”

At the same time, we brought the glasses to our lips and tossed them back. It was warm and savory like red wine but thicker. Actually, it reminded me of the drink Riven made me take, except I knew Peggy and Maren hadn’t just given us blood to drink. Or at least, I was fairly certain they hadn’t.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The potion moved through my body slowly. Inch by inch it warmed me. My muscles loosened. All of the tension and tightness in my chest and stomach vanished. I hadn’t felt this relaxed since before Lilian had us rob those people.

"I don’t like the eyes closed thing,” Stellan whispered.

I smiled and opened mine. “It’s okay. I feel . . . incredible.”

“Relaxed.” Ellie rolled her neck and shoulders. “Pre-Stone Keeper relaxed.”

“That’s what I was just thinking.” I giggled. “We may have to steal this potion, Ellie.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “I’m down.”

Maren chuckled. “Okay, I think they’re fine.”

“Me too.” Peggy rubbed her hands together. “We’ll be watching from the kitchen in case you need our assistance.”

“Do you remember what happened with the Astral Stone? How you just tapped into it and let it show you?”

We both nodded.

Maren smiled. “I suspect that’s what’s going to happen here. Tap into the hematite and let the magic guide you. That’s what this potion triggers.”

With that, they left the room.

Mom pulled me in for a hug. “Be careful.”

“You’ve got this. We’re right here if you need help.” Savina dragged Stellan out of the room. “Send the bat signal if you need us to come in.”

Ellie saluted her.

And then it was just me, Ellie, and Bash.

“It’s okay, Bash, you can go.”

He pointed right at me. “Don’t you dare fucking die.”