Page 57 of Cursed

Rourke gives me a pat on the shoulder. He’s feeling the same unease, even though he hasn’t completed his bond with Shayla. They are growing closer. Besides, he and his dragon are very protective of what they perceive to be theirs—Shayla, me, and even the rest of this ragtag coven are all claimed as his treasure now. The others just don’t know it yet.

Still reluctant to leave my mate behind, I take a deep breath. I follow Rourke and Quade, slipping through the hospital’s employee entrance.

The hallway is completely clear, and I wonder if that’s good or bad.

As he prowls forward, Quade glances back at us with a cautious scowl, obviously thinking the same thing.

Fortunately, we have visited to check on Myra’s progress on a few occasions and are familiar with the route to take to her room.

When we sneak into the room, we find the bed empty. But the sheets are in disarray, so she was either taken by Drake’s people, or the staff has her somewhere else for the moment.

“Fuck!” Quade hisses. The professor picks up the chart at the end of the bed and skims through the paperwork. “No discharge orders. So she’s either long gone with the enemy, or the staff has taken her to another area for treatment.”

“What should we do?” Rourke asks.

We all are itching to return to our mate, but we know she will want her friend to arrive with us. I’m poised to rush off to search for Myra if Quade asks for it.

He sees my high-strung energy and nods for me to go.

Racing through the halls at half my top speed, I scan the rooms I pass by, checking the few that might be promising. But I worry that we are too late.

Far ahead of me, I see a gurney with a small figure on it, covered with a sheet. As I move closer, two large half-trolls approach the hospital worker pushing the gurney.

They flash Enforcer badges and forcefully take the patient away from the nurse.

Fuck, they are abducting Myra.

Full speed, I plow right into the male pushing the gurney. The trolls look confused and dazed that someone has interrupted their kidnapping. But the one I didn’t knock on his ass quickly recovers and swings his arms out to capture me.

I duck under his swift yet still too slow arms.

Calculating that I won’t be able to move fast enough with the gurney, I snatch Myra into my arms and dash toward her room to gather Rourke and Quade.

The trolls don’t miss a beat and chase after me.

I have the advantage of my speed, but I don’t get cocky. I yell out as soon as I get close to Myra’s room. “Let’s go!”

But the two don’t burst from the door as I approach. With their keen hearing, that’s not a good omen. They would have been alert for something just like this to happen.

I kick the door as hard as I can but don’t enter the room.

Quade and Rourke are on their knees. An immobilizing magical net has been thrown over both of them. A glowing magical knife is being held to the professor’s neck by a corrupt Enforcer.

Two other Enforcers stand between my coven mates and me.

Obviously, Rourke isn’t fighting back since he doesn’t want to endanger Shayla’s other fated mate.

I can’t do anything since I have the damned fragile mage in my arms.

“Run!” Quade orders and cries out as the knife cuts into his skin.

I’m torn, but he has a fucking great suggestion. If I can get Myra away, great. I can drop her off with the others and come back to help fight without worrying if I will harm Shayla’s friend.

The two Enforcers I fought Myra for come barrelling around the corner, and I make my decision.

I race down the side entrance again, just in case more Enforcers are stationed at the main hospital doors.

When I arrive at the rendezvous point, I don’t see Shayla or the other two.

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