“I’m not sure... just give me a minute to work it out.”
We walked all the way back to town, up the main path and past my cottage. I glanced up the road, dread wrapping its cold hand around my heart.
“Where are we going?” I whispered to him.
“Just wait.” He whispered back. “I’m following the tracker.”
My heart beat harder and faster with every step closer to the high warlock’s house. It was pitch dark now. The only light came from the two streetlights in town. Dim, sad lights that they were. And the lantern I was holding.
When Michael finally stopped walking, we stood outside his parents’ house.
I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. My chest was tight and aching. I’d known they’d be here. Of course. Where else would the high warlock trust them to remain safe, and easily accessible to him?
“Let’s stay away from the wards,” Michael said, stepping sideways and walking toward the rear of the house.
“Your father...” My voice faded before I even asked the question. Of course, the high warlock had extra wards around his house. Most of the witches in town did.
Michael nodded. “Yes. But they’re a lot stronger than most.”
I can believe that!
I followed Michael around the house, then he stopped at the southeast corner. “They’re under the house.”
I gaped at him. “Sorry. What?” Then a memory swam up, something Kyle had said about being in a genie bottle last time. “Kyle said they were put in some sort of prison when they first arrived. He could hear the high warlock walking around above their heads. No windows or doors.”
Michael was nodding. “That makes sense. He has a dungeon. Under the house.”
“And he gets there magically?” I asked, though the answer was obvious. With no windows and no doors for access, there was only one way of transport in or out. Magic. “Which means the wolves have no way of getting out.”
“Not unless they dig their way out,” Michael said. “But they wouldn’t survive that, I don’t think. No...”
I grabbed onto Michael’s arm, clinging to his elbow. “What do we do?”
He turned us around, holding tight both to the screen, and to me. “I think we need to go back to your cottage. Discuss this in private.”
I nodded and kept quiet until we were back inside the safety of my cottage. I rushed for the fireplace and flung my magic at the dying embers, turning it into a roaring fire once more. “Brrrr... God, it was cold out there.”
“Yeah, it was pretty obvious my dad didn’t want anyone out tonight.” Michael stood next to me as we both warmed our hands and faces.
Eventually, the cottage filled with warmth and we took off our coats. We walked together to the couch and sat beside one another. It was lovely to feel so close to him, so connected.
If only it was for a better reason.
If only all my mates were here.
I turned to him, finally ready for the conversation. “So, what are we going to do?”
He took a big breath in, his hands tight and balled into fists, lying on his thighs. “I don’t know yet.”
I pressed my lips together so I didn’t yell, then I calmly asked, “What do you mean, you don’t know? Don’t you have any idea how to get them out?”
“I have an idea, sort of.” Michael’s lips twisted as he thought. “If both of my parents were outside their house, I could use magic to dig them out. Kind of. I could locate the room, and create an elevator of sorts to lift them up from the dungeon.”
“Bothof your parents,” I repeated, my heart pounding. His mother never left the house. “Isn’t that impossible?”
“On the surface, yeah.” He began to fidget, tapping his heels against the floorboards as he moved his legs up and down. “Unless...”
Then he turned to me. His eyes wide.
“Unless, what?” I asked. “Tell me.” I’d do anything to save my wolves.
He twisted his whole body around, then grabbed both my hands in his. His dark eyes were lit up. Excited. He’d found the answer.
Thank God.
“Come on, tell me,” I urged him. “How do we get both your parents out of that house at the same time?”
His smile was strange, slightly hysterical, when he finally answered. “We get married.”