“Exactly. You’re a danger-magnet, Callie. You admit it. It’s who you are, and I’m not faulting you for it. Someone has to swoop in and save the day, and really, the world is lucky to have you. But we need to be realistic here. The next time you’re in danger, get flown off to who-the-fuck-knows-where, or have to rush out to exorcise a demon from a fucking werewolf, someone is going to have to watch Elena. We both know Lucas will go after you if you’re in trouble, too.”
“That’s…that’s true.”
“Next to Lucas, I’m the person you should trust the most with my sister.” She flashes her fangs. “I’m able to protect her.”
“You are,” I agree. Lucas and I haven’t discussed things this far ahead yet, but having a live-in nanny crossed my mind once or twice, and then the idea was immediately squashed. It’s not like I could put a disclaimer in my help wanted ad about my baby having magical powers and demons most likely seeking her out.
“I know. She is my sister in one sense or another. I know I might not come off as someone who loves children, because I don’t.”
“That’s a reassuring thing to say to the mother of the child you’re forcing nanny-duties onto.”
“Elena is different. She’s not some grubby child. She’s family, and when you disappeared yesterday, it…it really scared all of us. Including me.”
“I am sorry I scared you guys, but I’m not sorry I went.”
“I’m not, either, and I—” She cuts off and turns her head, listening to something I can’t hear. I drop the laundry basket and follow her when she goes back into the bedroom.
“What is it?” I ask.
“The sand,” she starts, pointing to the hourglass. “It’s going back up.”
Chapter 12
“What does that mean?” Eliza turns to me, eyes wide.
“It means the transfer isn’t going well.” My chest tightens, and nerves prickle through me. “I should be there. If something is wrong, I could help.” I watch the sand get sucked back up into the hourglass, disappearing from sight. Eliza takes my hand, trying to keep me calm as well as remain calm herself.
“Lucas is safe,” she says, assuring us both. “He wasn’t going to be anywhere near them when they cast the spell to do the transfer, in case the demon jumped into him. It would be game over for everyone.”
“Yeah,” I say, unable to string any more words together. We stand there rooted to the spot as we watch the hourglass. “I should be there. Something is obviously wrong.”
“How fast can you get there?” Eliza lets go of my hand and moves closer to the hourglass.
“Hopefully fast enough.” Mentally calling out to my familiars, I tell them to get ready to run ahead without me. If anyone is near the door, they can let them in to aid the others with the spell. Heart in my throat, I rush into my closet to get a pair of boots to throw on. I get as far as shoving my foot into one when Eliza calls for me.
“Callie, it’s working again!”
I run back, hopping with only one boot on. The sand is steadily flowing again, sparkling in the sunlight. Letting out a huge breath, I drop my other boot. Too afraid to take my eyes off the hourglass only to look back and watch the sand go back up, Eliza and I stand there until my feet start to hurt.
“We can’t stay here and watch the sand all day,” she says. “It’ll drive us both crazy.”
“Right,” I agree, yet neither of us moves.
“Tabatha said we can carry the hourglass around with us and it won’t mess anything up. I’ll take it downstairs, and we should get on with…with whatever it is we need to do.”
“Right,” I repeat and force myself to let out a slow breath. My heart is still racing, and in the back of my mind, I know all this stress is bad for the baby. My blood pressure was up a bit the last time the midwife checked me, and being left behind was supposed to be for my benefit, but I swear I’m more stressed out being home, not knowing what’s going on.
“Callie.” Eliza reaches for my hand. “I can hear your heartbeat, and if I were to put my fangs to your vein, I’m sure I’ll find your blood pressure to have skyrocketed. Come on. Let’s go into the kitchen so you can stuff your face and we can gossip about people.”
“I don’t have anything to gossip about.”
“Fine. I’ll find that photo album I put in with Lucas’s belongings when he moved in here. It’s from the 1980s. We owned a gym in California then, and I spent the summer teaching aerobics classes at night.”
“You did not.” I can’t help but laugh.
“Oh, I did. And you should have seen my hair. It was the envy of everyone. I never broke a sweat, either.”