6. Rey

6

REY

The shrill ring of my phone jolted me awake. Cathy rolled over and buried her head under a pillow. I groaned and fumbled for it on the nightstand, squinting at the caller ID. Rissa. I hit answer and mumbled irreverently into the phone, "What's up, bitch?"

There was a brief pause, then a very non-Rissa, very irritating voice spoke. "Rey. It's Edward."

I sat bolt upright, instantly pissed off. What the hell? Why was that pompous twit calling me from Rissa's phone in the middle of the damn night? I scowled at the phone as if Edward could see my death glare through it. The nerve of this guy.

"Why the hell are you calling from this phone?" I snapped, voice dripping with suspicion and irritation.

Edward's reply came swiftly, tinged with uncharacteristic desperation that set my nerves on edge. "It's an emergency, why else would I be calling? I can't wake Halo up."

Those words sent a jolt of adrenaline through me, my heart racing. Not Rissa. She was too sly to be caught by anyone. My mind raced with the horrifying possibilities of what could have befallen my friend. Especially with a daemon in close proximity.

I threw the covers off and leaped out of bed in one fluid motion, wide awake. Cathy stirred, roused by the commotion. Her brow furrowed in concern as she took in me pulling clothes out of the dresser and the phone pressed to my ear.

"What's going on?" Cathy asked, voice heavy with sleep and worry. "Is everything all right?"

I shook my head tersely. "Edward can't wake Rissa up." Edward's revelation echoed in my mind. Rissa, unresponsive. My old friend in danger. And a daemon on the other end of the line, bearer of bad news. If he hadn't initiated it somehow.

I needed to get to her. Now. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to shift, to race through the woods on four swift paws until I reached Rissa's side. But Cathy... I couldn't leave her behind.

"I'll be there in a moment," I barked into the phone before hanging up abruptly, not giving Edward a chance to respond. Cathy was already out of bed, her green eyes wide and alert despite the rude wakeup.

" We'll be there in a moment." Cathy placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, grounding me. I pressed her fingers before throwing my clothing on.

She did the same. Together, we raced out of the bedroom, our bare feet slapping on the hardwood floors. My mind whirled with worst-case scenarios, each more terrifying than the last. What was going on? What if Rissa never woke up? The thought of losing her, my closest confidant and partner in mischief, sent a wave of worry crashing over me.

She was so very good at dealing with all the lower ranked shifters in a way that balanced freedom with responsibility.

As we hurried through the living room, I caught a glimpse of our reflections in the hallway mirror. Cathy's fiery red hair was a wild tangle, and mine stood up in odd places.

The chuckle helped calm me.

I grabbed the car keys from the hook by the door. Cathy reached out and gently took them from my grasp.

"I'll drive," she said softly. "We'll get to her quickly. Without traffic stops and tickets."

I nodded mutely. As we jogged to the garage, cool country air whispering against our skin, I hoped this was all a big trick.

Cathy revved the engine to life as I slid into the passenger seat. The car purred as she reversed out of the driveway, and I called up Rissa's address on the GPS.

Twenty long minutes ahead of us as we hit the country roads between our homes.

"She'll be okay," Cathy murmured, her gaze fixed on the road. "We'll find a way to deal with whatever it is. We always do."

I wanted to believe her, to cling to the hope that everything would be all right. But the knot of worry in my stomach only tightened with each curve. Of all people in the world, Rissa was the last I'd think would be caught by magic.

The car accelerated around another sharp turn, as Cathy pushed the limits of both the law and the road. I gripped the door handle, fighting the urge to shift, to leap from the confines of the car and race through the woods on four legs instead of four wheels.

It would be faster, but Cathy couldn't come with me.

"You're driving faster than usual," I muttered, shooting Cathy a sideways glance.

She flashed me a grin, her green eyes sparkling with a mix of worry and adrenaline. "We don't have time to waste."

Cathy braked hard in front of Rissa's house, and I was out of the vehicle before it came to a complete stop. I burst through the front door, Cathy a few steps behind, and found Edward pacing in the living room, his face etched with worry.

"Where is she?" I demanded, dislike for him finding a way into my voice.

Edward gestured toward Rissa's bedroom. "In there. I've tried everything I can think of, but nothing's working."

I brushed past him, my heart pounding in my chest as I crossed the threshold into the bedroom.

Rissa lay on the bed like a lifeless doll, her chest rising and falling with each shallow breath.

Cathy rushed to Rissa's side, her fingers going to her wrist to check for a pulse. "Her heart rate is slow, way too slow."

I raked a hand through my hair, a frustrated growl building in my throat. Useless. I was utterly useless in this moment, all my abilities useless in the face of this specific threat.

Cathy glanced up at me, green eyes wide and worried. "Call Roma and Bran?"

I began to pace, my mind racing. Before calling Bran, the best mage I knew, we needed to gather more information.

Edward stepped into the room. I turned to face him.

His mouth was thin and clamped with what looked like worry. "I've tried every counterspell I know, but nothing seems to work. It's as if the magic is..."

He hesitated, glancing at Rissa's still form. I gestured for him to continue.

"It's as if it's woven into her very essence. I've tried everything I know to break it. Without calling in others to try, all we can do is wait."

I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to growl. I wanted to break something, but there'd be hell to pay if it was one of Rissa's belongings.

Cathy pulled her phone out. "I'll call."