“It has to be the heretic,” Belle commented. “It’s unlikely Ashworth has the scope to actually sneak in a phone call.”
“Yes, and it probably means he’s discovered your spell and has gotten the details from Ira,” Eli said. “Answer it, and feign ignorance.”
I hit the button and said, “Ashworth? What the hell are you doing ringing at this—”
“Ashworth is unable to come to the phone right now,” a deep, somewhat gravelly voice said. “Is this the witch who is responsible for the pathetic protection strand around the old wellspring?”
“That depends on who’s talking.”
“I’m the man who holds Ashworth’s life in his hands,” he said, “so kindly answer the question.”
My gaze shot to Eli’s. Make him prove it, he mouthed.
“Yes, I am,” I said. “Is Ashworth okay?”
“That is neither here nor there,” the heretic said. “I want you up here within thirty minutes or he will pay the price and then I will come and get you. Trust me, you won’t want that.”
No, I didn’t. I swallowed against a suddenly dry throat and said, “I’m not going anywhere until I have proof of life.”
“My dear, I wouldn’t advise—”
“Let’s cut the bullshit,” I said. “We both know you want the wellspring. You obviously can’t get past a spell that has wild magic woven through it, so you want me up there to do that for you. So, we do this my way, or no way at all.”
He was silent for altogether too many seconds. My heart was pounding so hard it was becoming painful and all I could think was that I’d overplayed my hand, that he was going to call my bluff and Ashworth would pay the ultimate price.
Then, finally, a voice croaked, “Lizzie? You can’t do—”
“There,” the heretic cut in, “proof of life.”
“Keep him alive, witch; he’s your one ace right now.”
“Perhaps,” he all but drawled, “and perhaps not.”
He doesn’t realize we know what he is, Belle said. That is a big tick in our favor.
My gaze shot to hers. You can read his thoughts?
Her nose wrinkled. Only vaguely. There’s too much distance between us.
“Such impertinence deserves a penalty, however,” the heretic continued. “You now have twenty minutes to get here.”
“Fine.” I hung up. “Belle, I think you need to come with me.”
Eli frowned. “I don’t think that would be—”
“He’ll sense our connection,” I said. “He’ll think the spell has been done by the two of us and it’ll force him to take that into account in any spell he tries. It gives us time to make sure Ashworth is okay, and time for Belle to seize his mind and stop him.”
“And once she has, I’ll finish the damn job,” Aiden said. He was standing beside the open door and had obviously heard a good portion of our conversation. His father had disappeared again. “This bastard is too damn dangerous, and needs to be taken out here and now.”
“But not until we know Ira is okay,” Eli said.
Aiden nodded and glanced at Belle. “You’ll let me know?”
“An invitation to play in your mind?” Belle said. “Hell yes.”
He snorted and shook his head. “We’ve been given the clearance to traverse the com
pound. No other trespassers have been sighted, not even near the wellspring, but those wolves who do go near it are rather curiously finding themselves turned away without knowing why.”