Page 139 of Shadow Witch

Paige’s heart twisted as she stared down at her mother’s pale form. She’d finally found her, but was she too late?

The question echoed in her brain as her vision began to cloud. She pinched her eyebrows together. Something wasn’t right.

“Hey, Dewey…” Her voice was thick and slow.

“Yeah?” he asked, still studying Reed.

“I think I’m dying, too.” After she uttered the words, her knees collapsed, and she felt herself fall as her world turned black.

CHAPTER 31

Paige’s eyes fluttered open, then immediately closed as bright light seared them. Her heart pounded hard against her ribs as she tried to orient herself.

One minute, she’d found her mother in a chamber under a Mexican ruin, and the next, she’d felt herself falling.

Had she dreamt of finding her mom? Had she died?

Her heart raced faster. Yes, she’d died. That was it. That stupid werepanther scratched her and poisoned her. Dewey said she had twenty-four hours to live. It figured she’d succumb to it before that.

“Well, this stinks,” she murmured.

“Paige?” The voice floated in her mind.

“Must be St. Peter. I wonder if I’ll go to heaven?”

“Paige, snap out of it. Open your eyes.”

Paige wrinkled her nose. St. Peter sounded strangely like Dewey.

She opened her eyes a slit. “Dewey?”

“Yeah,” he said as he hovered in front of her. “Open your eyes.”

She let them open a little more, taking in her surroundings. “Where am I?”

“Paris Library,” Dewey said with a nod.

“How did we get here?”

“You’re not going to believe this story,” Dewey said with a shake of his head as he settled on the edge of her bed.

Her eyes went wide. “Why? What happened?”

“You passed out shortly after we found your mom–“

Her heart thudded faster. “So we found her? That wasn’t a dream.”

“We found her.” Dewey raised his chin.

“And then I passed out?”

“You did. And then…” Dewey pressed his lips together. “I went into full-blown panic mode. Like major panic. I’m thinking…how am I going to get both of these ladies out of here? I’m tiny. Paige is way heavier than I am. Though Reed…she’s a little lighter than you but still…”

“Thanks, Dewey. Really appreciate the weight comparison.”

“Well, anyway…you wanna know how I managed to rescue you both?”

“How?” she asked.

---