Page 17 of How to Rescue Your Surprise Baby

“Uriel,” Mav said, nodding.

Uriel didn’t step forward immediately. He glanced at Telos. “You’re the one who needs the spell?”

Telos nodded. “To escape detection by other magic users. Powerful ones, just in case.”

“You plan to infiltrate the kidnappers’ den,” Uriel said, studying Telos again. He twitched almost imperceptibly. “The spell will be complex.”

“How complex?” Telos asked.

Uriel sighed. “It’s going to use up quite a bit of power. At some point, you’ll be too far away for the spell to keep drawing on my reserves. I can only put so much magic into the spell at any moment—there are two ways to get around it. The first is me embedding a token into your body, containing my magic.”

Telos shuddered. “Not my first choice. What’s the other option?”

“You draw on someone else’s power to keep the spell going.”

“Another mage?” Mav frowned.

“No, another supernatural being. All supernatural creatures have some form of magic that makes them different from non-magical humans—I can craft the spell so it draws on yourmagical energy. Both of yours, if you don’t want it to completely exhaust your own.”

It made sense, because Telos still needed his energy to shift between forms, to maintain his disguise.

“That means we’ll have to stay close to each other,” Mav said.

“Is that the only downside?” Telos asked.

Uriel hesitated. “Because you’re drawing power from another person, you may end up with some spillover effects.”

“Like what?” Mav asked warily.

“You may share some things over the bond, such as your emotions.”

Telos’ stomach clenched.Flying fuckcakes!

With anyone else, it would’ve been fine. But Telos had a secret, and it was all stupid emotions. About Mav. That Mav could never find out.

Mav frowned, glancing at Telos. “I guess I’m fine with that. It won’t be for long, anyway.”

It wasn’t as thoughhehad anything to lose.

Come to think of it, what didTeloshave to lose? Mav wasn’t really his friend; Mav wasn’t his anything.

I could lose my pride.But Mav didn’t even think much of him. What was more scoffing at his expense?

He sighed. He’d try to keep Mav out of his head. And hopefully he’d emerge unscathed by the end of all this. “Fine.”

Mav was watching him from the corner of his eye. Uriel had just stepped off his porch, when a noise came from within the cabin.

It was a small, whimpering sound, like a hungry baby.

Uriel stiffened. “Just a moment.”

He disappeared into the cabin; the baby’s noises stopped abruptly, like Uriel had thrown up a sound barrier.

Telos stuffed his hands into his pockets, turning away. “The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can rescue my baby.”

“Should’ve thought of that before you went out for breakfast, then stopped for another coffee.”

“Shut up. You finished all that food.”

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