My vision went black, and two hands gripped my shoulders. “Savannah, come back to me!”
I opened my eyes. Jaxson was staring at me through the open door, fear etched across his face. His shoulders relaxed slightly when my eyes locked onto his.
Tears streamed down my face.
Jaxson pulled me toward him, cradling the back of my head with his hand. “You’re safe now.”
His voice was soothing, and I buried my face in his chest, trying to escape the dreadful feeling that had taken root inside me like the aftershocks of a terrible nightmare.
Once my breathing had calmed, he gently cupped my face with his palm and wiped the tears from my cheeks. His brow was furrowed, and he looked upset. “What happened?”
“I wanted to see if I could get any more clues about the sorcerer’s plans, so I scried on him. He saw me and spoke to me. Grabbed me. I couldn’t leave, it was so real…” I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head, trying to rid the vision of his blank face from my mind.
“That’s not possible,” Sam said. She was crouched on the middle console, watching me closely.
“Wrong. It happened.” I hiccupped and wiped my eyes.
Jaxson’s hands slid down my arms, and I looked down. My heart stilled. Red streaks trailed down my skin where the sorcerer had gripped me.
Jaxson locked me with a steely gaze, and his jaw tensed. “No more scrying.”
I nodded. “No more scrying.”
He glanced at Sam like they were exchanging some unspoken words, and then he returned his gaze to me. “Will you be all right? We’re fifteen minutes from the cabin. You don’t have to come. Sam can take you back to Magic Side.”
Determination replaced my fear. “No. I’m not running. I need answers.”
I was going to find out who this fucker was and destroy him.
Jaxson nodded and closed my door. He motioned to the four cars that had pulled off the road behind us, and then he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. As he drove, he watched me with concern in the rearview mirror. I rubbed my stinging arms and looked out the window.
That was really stupid, Savy. What would have happened if I’d gotten stuck in that vision? There was still so much I didn’t know about scrying, and I really had to be more careful.
Sam handed me her leather jacket. “Take this. You’re shivering.”
“Thanks.” I slid my arms into the jacket, which was still warm, and I pulled my sketchbook and pencil from my bag. As much as my skin still crawled from the thought of that monster, I needed to draw the vision while the details were still fresh. Familiar tools in hand, I got to work, losing myself in the process.
Ten minutes later, we pulled onto a dirt road that cut through the forest. I stopped and looked at the drawings on the two papers. The faceless man stared back at me from the cavern. That was when I noticed the mark on his neck—a tattoo. My heart pounded, and I squinted at the page, trying to make out the design.
A triangle with the number thirty-seven in it. What did it mean?
I put the sketchbook and pencil away and tightened the laces on my magic boots. Jaxson had left one of his people behind at the Sunrise Inn to collect everyone’s belongings once the wolfsbane dissipated, and while I hadn’t had much on me to begin with, I was relieved to find my boots and my purse returned. The boots, especially—after running through the woods and sanatorium in bare feet, it was a spine-tingling relief to have them on again.
I needed to start sleeping with those puppies laced up, I decided, as if that would solve all my problems.
A light mist had started, and fog settled in the trees. Just what I needed. My nerves were already shot.
Jaxson pulled to the side and parked. The cars behind us followed, and soon, it was pitch black.
I took an unsteady breath.
Time to woman up, Savy. Get some answers.
I climbed out of the car, and Jaxson appeared before me. He slid his hand to my hip, and my heart quickened. “Stay close to me,” he murmured. “I want you in sight.”
He pulled out the bulletproof vest I’d used before and helped me suit up. Each time he tugged the straps tight, I sucked in a quick breath, inhaling the scent of his signature. I wished I could wrap it around me just as tightly as the vest. Then maybe the jitters would go away.
He handed me a pistol. “Things are going to get rough.”