And where the bleeping bloody hell was this handy little device all the times Alec had attacked me? Surely our battles triggered the alarms. I’d be asking that question once I knew Stace wasn’t in any danger.
The headmaster’s color faded as his mouth fell open. “Good Lord. It’s the cabin.”
Rob and I exchanged looks. Dean Carter’s voice pulled our attention back to him. He had his phone up to his ear. “Yes, I saw the alert. Get a patrol crew over to Stacey Layden’s cabin. There’s a really strong hit in the woods. It’s two different elementals. Yes, one is identified as hers. The other isn’t in the system. It’s got to be a battle in progress. I’m sending Rob Emmett.”
“What?” I whimpered, scared for Stace, scared for him, and just plain scared.
“Stay here, Katy. You’ll be safest behind the wards. Rob, go.”
He glanced at me before barking, “Yes, sir.” And hurried out of the office. I followed.
“You can’t leave me here.”
“You heard Dean Carter. You’ll be safe at the academy.” He pushed through the double doors and outside, stepping out of my reach. “I love you.” I rushed him to hitch a ride on his teleport. He disappeared before I got to him.
No. Nonono! I had to get to them, had to be there in case whatever caused the headmaster to call in the cavalry was too powerful for Rob and the rest of the patrol to battle. I’d lose him forever.
Concentrating on the cabin, I closed my eyes and was about to teleport out when the call of one of my nicknames sounded out. “Montana! I’ve got a bone to pick with you.” He waggled his eyebrows.
I disregarded the sexual reference and ran into Clay’s arms, hugging him tight and so damn grateful to see him, I was close to tears, which was a big deal for me. I rarely cried. “You have to teleport us to the cabin.”
“What cabin?”
Shit. He’d never been there, so he had no idea where it was. I did, but didn’t trust my air call to get me there. I snagged his gaze. “Do you trust me?”
“After last night, you can ask me that?” Those assaulting emerald eyes blazed as they searched mine.
“I’m so sorry for what happened,” I hurried out, annoyed we were having this conversation right now instead of getting to Stace.
“What exactly did happen?”
“No time. We have to go.” We seriously didn’t have time for this. Did that make me a selfish bitch? Probably. Did I care? Absolutely not. Getting to Stace took precedence over everything else.
“Make the time.” He moved out of my reach. Shit again. I needed his element and confidence to stick the landing. “I noticed your hand is healed.”
I blurted out the Cliff’s Notes. “Dark magic. Layden countered. I’m all better. Earth is my primary. She’s missing. Now can we go?”
“Wait, earth is your primary?”
“That’s your takeaway?” I grabbed his arms. “Push your call to me.”
“I’m not—”
“Clay!” I cried, cutting him off. “Please. Stace is in trouble. Push your fucking call to me. Now! I’ll explain everything later. Please, help me!”
He transferred his power, boosting mine. I used it and teleported us to the cabin, too anxious to get caught up in the whole insides-turning-outside awesomeness. We stuck the landing—courtesy of Clay transferring his control to me, I was sure.
“Come on!” I ran toward the woods while he ran toward the house. When he caught me heading in the opposite direction, he stumbled and turned.
“What’s going on? Where are we going?”
“Cressida.” I spoke into the air, desperate for her to hear me. “Take me to her. She needs me.” I didn’t know how I knew, only that I did. Stace was in pain, suffering from God only knew what injuries, and it was up to me to save her. I couldn’t let her die. I’d never recover losing another parental figure. She’d become a major part of my life.
The overwhelming pull for me to shift right hit me so strong, I didn’t hesitate to follow it like a hound dog tracking a scent. Cressida led me deep into the woods. When I heard shouting, I picked up the pace, sprinting and wincing as the prickly underbrush tore at my bare legs and snagged on my shirt.
“Get out of my way!” I screamed at them. Why would they be trying to slow me down? They were supposed to be on my side. The trees yielded to my call, bending and creating a path for me to sprint toward the sound of the shouts.
“The signal is right here. Where is she?”
I pushed as hard as I could to get to the source. “Rob!”
“What the… Reed?” He blinked at me as I broke through the trees. When it registered that his girlfriend had crashed the party, he set his whiskered jaw and froze his expression. He was not happy to see me. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s the prophecy,” someone pointed out. More repeated the phrase. “We must protect her.” Several men and women began to surround me. I brought up my hand like a gun, causing them to hesitate and exchange glances.
Rob stepped forward, his dark gaze on me in warning. “Stand down, Reed.”
No way. My own boyfriend challenged me? This couldn’t be happening. “Rob?”
“Stand down, Katy.” Him using my real name gave me pause. He rarely called me Katy. “We got this.” He then mouthed I’m sorry, and I understood. He had to make a name for himself at the new job and around the others.
And I had to make a stand as the prophecy.
“One more step, and I blast you.” I channeled every cop show I’d ever binged. I had no idea what I was doing, only that I’d seen it done so many times, it had to work. And it did. The members of the patrol all backed away, hands up. I glared at each one of them to really drive home my point. Embracing my role of tough-as-nails lead
