Page 85 of The Witch and The Blood Oath

“They’re enthralled,” Elle realized. Worry furrowed her brow. “We need to get down to the rocks.Now.”

Walker slipped. As he tumbled toward the churning, crashing water, a scream built in my throat, but the rock changed shape. It flattened and caught the cowboy, then grew tall once more. Magic emanated from Cadence, but I didn’t have time to congratulate her before Ryder leaped off his rock, toward the deadly waves.

Elle shrieked, but I caught Ryder on a breeze that blew away even the most violent of water and lifted him higher, away from the churning sea. He wobbled, but I didn’t let him fall.

“You have Walker?” I asked.

“Yes,” Cadence answered breathlessly.

“Good,” I said. “Bring him to us.”

As I carried Ryder closer with my wind, he thrashed against my hold and nearly plummeted. Elle gasped, and I cursed. I had never tried to carry a resistant passenger. Finally, Ryder crested the cliff, and I pulled him toward us. He landed in a heap at our feet but immediately rose to get back to the water. I blocked him with a wall of fire.

“No!” Elle exclaimed.

Ryder did not balk at the flames. He charged directly toward them, and I did my best to dissipate them, but he was so close—

Elle grabbed his hand, and he paused. I replaced the fire with wind and exhaled in relief. Elle gripped Ryder’s hand like a lifeline.

If she hadn’t stopped him, Ryder would be dead.

Cadence grunted, and Walker appeared on a towering rock. Vines strapped his thrashing form to it, like some kind of earthy gurney.

“Good work, kid,” I praised.

Ryder now tugged against Elle’s hold, but he couldn’t get past the wind blockade in his path. He turned to the woods, but vines crawled up his body and trapped him in place. Cadence approached her brother with round eyes.

“Aren’t you always telling me,” she said, “that just because your friend jumps off a cliff, it doesn’t mean you should too?”

Grumbling incoherently, Walker struggled against his confinement. I brushed a wet strand of hair from his forehead. For a heartbeat, he stilled under my touch, but his thrashing resumed, and I wondered if I had imagined the reprieve.

I glanced at Ryder. As he stared at Elle with glassy eyes, his face was a mask of confusion. Guilt, heavier than anything I had ever burdened, threatened to suffocate me.

One problem at a time.

“Whatever they’re hearing,” I said to Elle and nodded at Ryder, “I think you can pull him out of it.”

Elle looked at me, and Ryder flailed once again.

“How?” she asked. “My magic…it shouldn’t be able to help him.”

“Because,” I said and swallowed, “you’re his goddessdamned mate.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Walker

The most beautiful music played. I had never cared about music beyond enjoying a catchy tune, but this was heavenly. Chords swelled, and basses boomed, and I had to get closer.

If only I could get off this damn rock.

I hated the women who strapped me to it. I spat curses at them, but my mouth wouldn’t comply with my mind and only gibberish came out. It didn’t matter. I could barely hear myself past the glorious music.

It buzzed against my skin like the most potent magic. I reached for my power to help get me out of my binds, but it too floated away, out of my control. The music reached a crescendo—it was so loud and so beautiful, ithurt.

I dug my fingernails into my palms to try to distract myself from the pain, but nothing helped.

The music eclipsed everything.

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