"Take everyone up there. Take my truck, you'll all fit. You told Alex we were there, and they won't expect me to have company if they happen to check in. Lock yourselves in, and don't open the door unless it's me, Ed or Allan."
"What if it's Sofia?"
"Call me, but don't let her in."
"Why?"
"If they're controlling her, then they could use her to get to anyone else. Just tell her I said she should wait in her grove if she's worried. She'll know what I'm talking about."
"She mentioned it to me."
Doc smiled. "Good. I'll walk you out. Let's go."
∞ ∞ ∞
Sofia's father ended up taking the keys from her after quietly asking Doc if he minded. He was used to large vehicles, and Victoria was happy to let him drive.
Doc gave her a quick hug and told her to be careful before getting into her car, sliding the seat back, and driving away.
"Where are we going?" Mr. Collins asked after starting the big diesel.
She leaned forward, having taken the middle seat in the back between her parents. She gave a few directions and then fidgeted with her seatbelt. She didn't know what to do, or what to say.
Mr. Collins finally broke the silence as he turned where she had told him at the roundabout. "How well do you know Doc anyway?"
"Well enough," Victoria replied.
"And what is he, if he knows so much about all of this?"
Victoria's stomach clenched. What did she say? Doc hadn't given her permission to say anything, although he kind of had. Not enough that she felt comfortable just coming out and telling the lie they had settled on.
"Dan, you shouldn't..."
He cut his wife off. "That Indian, or whatever he is, is asking us to trust him with our daughter's life. We have a right to know why we should bother trusting him to go up against powerful mages and get her back for us."
"Dan!"
Victoria ground her teeth in anger.
"He's a mage, a really powerful one, so don't be an asshole," Victoria growled.
Her parents raised their eyebrows. Both took her hands and squeezed.
He didn't apologize, but he didn't say anything else.
Victoria took her hands back and pulled out her phone to warn Doc.
Victoria: I just told them you're a powerful mage. Sorry. Didn't have a lot of options. Was getting tense.
Doc replied a moment later with a thumbs up and a shrugging smiley icon.
"You need to turn down this dirt road," she said tightly a few minutes later. The drive down the narrow dirt road seemed to take longer than the last time she was here, and Victoria started to worry that they had taken the wrong random dirt road. It was getting dark, and maybe she had made a mistake? Finally, when she was about to get really worried, they pulled into the clearing around Doc's cabin.
"I wonder who that is?" Victoria didn't recognize the silver Jeep that was parked in front of their boat.
Everyone climbed out, and Mr. Collins silently handed the keys back to Victoria. She went to the door and tried the handle. It wasn't locked, so she opened the door.
Sam was curled up on the couch, reading a novel. She looked up, eyebrows raised as she saw Victoria enter followed by both sets of parents.
"Where's the guys?" She spoke slowly, uncurling before standing up.
"Sam, we think they got Sofia."
Sam tilted her head and gestured toward everyone else.
"Oh, uh, Mom, Dad, Mr. Collins, Mrs. Collins, meet Sam. She's a friend of ours, too."
"And the guys?"
"They're going after Sofia," Victoria answered quietly.
"Damn fools are going to get themselves killed," she growled. She picked up a knit bag and rummaged around in it before pulling something out and tossing it to Victoria.
She reflexively caught the small bag.
"Wear that. If Doc manages to survive this idiocy, tell him I brought that for you." Sam slipped her shoes on and headed toward the door.
Everyone moved out of her way.
"Sam, where are you going?"
"I need to make a phone call." She jerked the door open and almost slammed it behind her. Moments later, Victoria could hear her Jeep start and sling gravel as she sped away.
"Well, she wasn't happy. You sure she's a friend?" Victoria's mom stared after Sam.
"Well, she's been friends with Doc, Ed, and Allan for a long time anyway. I don't think she hates me or Sofia."
"So, who are Ed and Allan?" her mother asked.
"Other friends of ours. They live here, too. I'm hungry, let's get something to eat." Victoria headed for the kitchen to try and escape for a minute.
"Are you sure we should eat their food?" Her father followed her.
"I promise, they won't mind," Victoria replied. She opened the bag Sam had given her and poured a necklace out in her hand. It was a thin black leather choker with a crystal paw hanging from the center. The crystal reflected a bit of rainbow in the kitchen lights, and it tingled with power.
Victoria put it on and was not surprised to find that it fit perfectly. Her dad watched her, not saying anything. She forced a smile, though she was more worried about everyone now than she had been an hour ago. Victoria really wasn't sure if Sam thought Doc was in over his head, or if she was just annoyed that he was sticking his neck out for someone he barely knew.
Either way, it was going to be a long night while they waited.
Chapter 23
Sofia
I blinked a few times before the world came into focus. I sat in a highbacked chair. I tried to get up and couldn't move.
Gasping, I struggled to get my body to respond. All I could move was my head. Ropes bound me to the chair, but that wasn't what kept me from actually moving.
Ash, of all people, was slumped in another chair next to the wall, his eyes closed. He sat with his arms resting on the armrests and didn't move other than to breath softly.
"Ash?" I tried to say. My tongue felt thick, and
