Page 36 of Rescued By Her Guardian

They reached the security office and Knox looked down at her. “Sweetheart, I’m so glad that you’re safe and with me.”

“I’m glad too. We have some stuff to talk about with the leap?”

He nodded. “After we deal with this.”

Twisting the knob, he opened the door and she heard her dad gasp.

“Thank stars, you’re safe.” He hugged her tightly and the sweet embrace made her eyes sting with tears.

“Thanks for joining Knox in coming to get me.”

When her dad had finished hugging her, Alder gave her a hug. “We got to kick some evil follower butt and help your mate save the day. We’re definitely glad we could be there.”

“Are we here about Bruce?” she asked.

“How did you know?” Maverick asked, turning in the chair at the desk.

“He was apparently at the portal when she and Zara were going through before she was taken,” Knox said.

Santa strode into the room.

“You’re looking well,” he said, smiling at Ivy. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been asleep for a day. But good.”

“Excellent. Now, what’s the emergency?” Santa asked.

Maverick spun in the chair and tapped on a few keys. One of the large screens on the wall flickered on and an image of a security camera feed appeared.

She could see the perimeter of the town and the Northern Lights dancing in the sky. And in the distance, a purple glow.

Knox’s heart sank. “Is anyone missing but Bruce?” he asked, even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

“No, everyone else is accounted for,” Declan said, folding his arms. “The only reason that we realized something had happened is that he didn’t show up for his shift. I was out scouting and found a glove. When I showed his brother, he said it was Bruce’s. Maverick rolled back the footage and we saw him.”

“Can I see?” Ivy asked.

She moved around the desks to the wall and Knox joined her.

Another screen turned on, and the image of the Entrance appeared. It was glowing, which told her that it was activated because she’d opened it for her and Zara to get through. Bruce was standing at the Entrance, looking at a pad of paper in his hand. When the portal opened, he was startled to see them there.

Then there was a red flash that looked like smoke, and hands reached through and pulled Bruce into the portal. The portal flashed as it closed, and all that was left was a bit of red smoke and Bruce’s black glove on the snow.

“Can we get to Bruce?” Alder asked. “Frost is clearly putting on a show by taking Bruce’s magic where we can see it.”

“It’s too far,” Santa said as he stared at the screen. “And it’s already too late. Look.”

The purple glow flashed so brilliantly that Knox had to look away. And then when he looked back at the screen, there was only darkness.

Ivy let out a soft sob and covered her mouth with her hand. Knox put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

“I left him behind,” she whispered.

“No, you didn’t,” Santa said. “You didn’t know that he was there. This is absolutely not on your shoulders. But we need to find out how the hell they knew where you and Zara were. They pulled you through from the portal down in the States, not up here.”

She looked at Santa. “I don’t know, I only remember feeling like something was wrong and when I looked behind me, there was a bright red flash, and the next thing I remember is waking up in the cell. Frost said he was going to keep me until the solstice to replenish his magic. But he was also waiting for me when I got free. I think he knew I’d make a break for it when Azure came to get me. I think he decided not to wait to take my magic.”

“He’s a showman, that’s for damn sure,” Maverick said. “And such an asshole.”

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