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Her eyes are watery again and I can feel the tears pushing in. “Finn? Will you promise me something?”
Her emotions clawing at my heart make me want to agree, but I hold back. “I don’t make blind promises, but I’ll try. What do you need?”
“If things happen and my aunt’s plans go wrong… don’t leave me out here by myself, okay?”
“Och, I promise, Violet. I give ye my word. If it comes to it, I’ll make sure yer not left here alone.”
She swallows. “Thanks. And say hi to Josie. She seemed really nice.”
“Aye, I will. And she is. Josie is a true gem.”
With the pearl hairpin between my fingers, I take off at vampire speed into the marshy woods. I stop a few hundred feet away to watch for the blip of light.
The bolt of magic that hits me comes from behind and knocks me to the ground. The sudden impact shatters my vision and leaves me stumbling as the world spins into chaos.
Before I can do anything to defend or retaliate, a heavy blackness settles over me, and I crumple to the rocky ground.
My last conscious thought is of Josephine, Rune, and Sebastian. I failed them.
RUNE
Elara and Tavor come with me to walk Josie back to our suite, and then I take them back to their place downtown before heading out for my nightly patrol. It’s close to four in the morning, so most of the tourist activity has quieted down. It was just before midnight when Aiden said the wolves were active along the river, so I head straight there.
What a day. First, I got stabbed in the back by Finn, and then, Sebastian wiped my memories. It would’ve been a total wash if not for Josie.
Watching Josie do her potion challenge in front of the elders was such a fucking turn-on. She blows my mind. I swear Odin and Gaia must’ve gotten together to make this unity match because it’s a slam dunk.
My mind is only half in the present and half revisiting some of the more X-rated moments with my Unity Witch. So, when Mouse, one of Aiden’s street rats, comes racing at me, it takes a moment for my head to get in the game.
“Thank fuck you’re here,” Mouse gasps, breathing heavily. “Aiden’s gone.”
“Gone? Gone where? What happened?”
“The wolves took him.”
“They what?” Rage burns hot in my blood and I fight not to kill the messenger. “Explain. Now.”
Mouse swallows, his head bobbing as he sucks in breath. “Aiden and I were patrolling the river earlier and saw two Algiers wolves in a speedboat coming across with no lights. We followed them to the Warehouse District…”
“Fucking hell. I told him to hang back and stay out of trouble.”
“We did! We dropped back after you texted him. We saw the wolves grab two drunk guys and toss them in the boat. When they headed back across the river, we came back to the Quarter.”
“Then where is Aiden?”
“He knew you were busy tonight with the witch trials, and he said he wanted to just do a quick patrol along the riverfront. He wasn’t looking for trouble with the wolves.”
“And?”
“We weren’t even out of the Quarter and two wolves came up behind us. We bolted, but they caught up to Aiden. They roughed him up, tossed him onto the boat, and took off.”
“Fucking hell.”
“What should we do?”
I run a hand over my beard and exhale. “You do nothing. I’ll take care of it.”
I pull my phone out of my pocket and text Finn. Mutt trouble. Heading 2 Egan’s. U good 4 backup?
