Myrddin had sent out an eye to search for us. If he found us, we could expect a battle long before we were ready.
“Close the wall,” a deep voice said. “Close it now. I’ll handle the eye.”
Dean had said the words. He moved to the beginning of the tunnel, standing in the center, holding his palms open at his sides. The witches looked to Rhys for confirmation.
“Do it,” Lee ordered.
“We trust him?” Rhys asked his twin.
“Yes,” I said. “He’s trustworthy, and he understands magic this plane has no knowledge of. Let him try. Kelsey trusts him with her life.”
Rhys nodded. “Close the outer wall.”
I felt a shimmer go through the air around me and knew we were closed off from the outer world again.
Then there was a shift in the air, power flowing from a new source. Dean. His hands glowed slightly and the whole base seemed to go silent as we waited, the very air around us stilling except for the buzz of power that seemed to come from Dean. Even the wolves in the tunnel went silent, covering their wounded with their bodies as they waited to see if we would be invaded.
It wouldn’t come in that moment. Myrddin would need time to gather his forces.
Unless he simply planned to bombard us from afar. Were we about to be hit with a fireball? Or a magic bomb that would blow us all away?
Dev’s hand found mine, squeezing as though he knew my thoughts. They were probably the same as his, but his face never changed from its stoic expression. We waited, Daniel standing at the front of the group, and I could see his claws out. He would throw himself into whatever fight came our way.
The witches relaxed, Lily looking to Rhys. “The threat has passed. I don’t know how or why, but I can sense it moving on. I do not believe it found us.”
“I put up a veil.” Dean had gone paler than usual. “It’s something we used to do when we were hiding out from, well, from everyone. The witches who were after Summer in particular had some spectacular ways to find hidden wards, so my old mentor taught me how to put up a veil. It’s a thin coating that bounces the magic back at the probe spell. All it senses is itself. And the natural environment.”
“You doing okay?” Lee moved in, offering support.
“I probably should eat something. Something felt weird about that magic. It was so oddly familiar,” Dean admitted. “I don’t know. Like I said, it was weird. I’m not used to the power I can tap on this plane.”
“I’ll make sure he gets back to the brugh.” Lee let Dean lean on him. “I’ll get him something to eat and then come back. We’ll need to make a place for the wolves.”
I nodded as they started back for the brugh.
The brown wolf had resumed her progress. She was in her wolf form and so slight and delicate, I didn’t think she could be anything but female. She hit the end of the tunnel and stopped as though shocked at what she found. She lifted her nose and scented the air and then all of her focus was on Danny. The wolf bounded right toward him.
Dev held my hand and we ran to join him. The threat seemed to have passed, and I wanted to help those wolves. I could see shadowy figures in the tunnel, starting to make their way toward us now that the danger was over.
The wolf made it to Daniel and then she was a lithe young woman with a mass of brown hair and familiar eyes.
“Is that Courtney?” My heart felt like it would stop. When I’d left she’d been a little girl who was afraid of pretty much everything in the world. She’d been a tiny werewolf who’d played in my home, watching movies and pretending with her cousins. Because while her father wasn’t my blood, he was my brother.
“I think so, my goddess.” Dev picked up the pace.
Courtney Owens stood in front of Daniel, her brown eyes wide. “Uncle Dan…Your Highness.”
“You had it right the first time,” Daniel assured her. “Where is your father? I heard he was ill.”
Tears fell from her eyes onto her cheeks and she pointed behind her. “He’s with Mom. He’s been getting weaker and weaker, but what happened today pushed him over the edge. I don’t think he’s going to last. We made our way here. We didn’t know where else to go. I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to put you in danger.”
She was still a baby, and she had such responsibility on her shoulders. I moved in, my arms open to offer her a hug if she wanted it.
“Aunt Z.” Courtney wrapped her arms around me. “You’re here. You’re really here.”