Page 68 of Gone Hunting

Mimi swallows a few times, as if she’s drinking tea, even though none is offered. Her dull gaze drifts to Celia, the effort causing her more pain. “Good knows you’re needed, just as it knows evil needs you dead. It alerted the light witch, but she was untrained and ill-connected with her gifts. She followed you, intent on warning you. But then the dark witches arrived.”

“She couldn’t fight them,” Mimi continues, her voice stuttering. “She was outmatched in skill and supremacy. She realized as much and cast the only spell she could to keep you safe.”

“The one that sent me here.”

Celia’s voice is so quiet, I’m not sure how Mimi hears her. “Yes,” Mimi replies. “To the one being who will forever protect you and share your soul.”

Mom’s head drops into her hand. “But it’s not the right time,” she says.

“No,” Mimi agrees. “The light witch’s spell was powerful, but untamed. It spiraled out of control, surging in strength, instead of dwindling. It fed the ley lines and forced them to shift.”

“What are ley lines?” Celia asks.

She already knows it’s bad news. I barely have the nerve to answer. “Magical lines that run throughout the earth and in conjunction with fault lines.”

Mimi quickly takes more tea when Mom presses the cup against her cracked lips. “It triggered the earthquakes and summoned dark storms and weather, altering and mismatching periods of time, and stirring creatures meant to huddle in darkness.” She chuckles without humor. “Creatures the dark ones were more than pleased to use in their favor to hunt the tigress.”

Mom turns to Dad. I’ve never seen her so devastated. “That’s how they located Celia, Aidan. These dark witches may reside in the future, but unlike the light witch, they’re able to control their power. They used the spell meant to spare Celia to their advantage.”

Mom looks at me then, her eyes spilling with tears when she catches how close I’m clutching Celia. “Do you understand, Aric? The dark witches can’t hunt Celia from the future, but they don’t have to. They merely had to latch onto the spell the light witch cast and compel the dark powers it awakened to kill Celia for them.”

My gut twists so badly it’s hard to remain standing. It all makes sense. But it’s not over.

Celia isn’t crying. Not yet. But she’s close. “What happened to the light witch who tried to help me?”

Dad shakes his head. “An untrained witch matched against three who were? Nothing good,” he answers.

“As I told you, little tigress,” Mimi murmurs. “She can’t help you now.”

I’m ready to tear this room apart. “Can you help Celia?” I ask. “Please, Mimi. You said it yourself, she has to survive.”

Mimi’s mouth falls open and several gasps of air follow. She’s done for. I’m sure of it. It’s just a matter of time.

Mom pours more tea into Mimi’s mouth. Most of it pools, the rest spilling over the sides. I expect Mimi to choke on what remains, but it just sits there. Mom whispers in Mimi’s ear, her voice barely a touch of sound, unlike the magic that Mom’s beast stirs inside of her.

“Great and powerful Mimi, for the sake of our son and his mate, give us direction. Tell us what to do.”

Mimi’s head slumps to the side, the residual tea pouring from her mouth and onto the couch. I think she’s dead, but then she smiles, and I just about lose my mind.

“I can’t cast a spell to change time or conjure one to take place in the future,” Mimi mumbles. “But I can alter a spell that continues to brew.”

“To do what exactly?” I growl.

“To send Celia back,” Mimi slurs.

The wind pummels the side of the house as I all but snap my teeth at her. “No.”

“Aric,” Mom says. “We have to listen to what Mimi has to say.”

I step in front of Celia, my voice catching when her arms band around my waist and her body presses against my back. Her shoulders shake as she sobs, causing my eyes to burn.

Why is this happening?Why are they doing this to us?

“Mimi can’t take Celia away from me. Therehasto be another way.”

Mimi’s eyes narrow, her patience growing thin. Despite her weakening state, her voice turns firm. “If you want your mate to live—if you want her to accomplish everything the Power of Good expects of her, shemustgo back. There’s no other way, young wolf.”

“She’s mymate,” I say. “I can’t lose her like this!”

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