Page 2 of Boundless Magic

He nodded and shot a speaking glance at Spring. “Stay here, and find a way to locate Jolyon. If anyone can do it, it’s you.”

“I’m going with you, cousin,” Keaton said from behind them.

“I’ll find her faster alone. Help Autumn and Spring.”

“She’s my fucking daughter!”

“I love her, too, Keat. And you can be damned sure I’ll kill anyone who might even think to hurt her.” Knox gripped Keaton’s shoulder and shook it gently. “I’ve got this, and Autumn needs you.”

With blazing speed, Knox teleported away.

“Come on, Tums,” Spring said. “Show me what you’ve tried to locate Jolly.”

They jogged downstairs and entered the ceremony room with Keaton on their heels.

Autumn explained the spell and what she’d seen. “The image doesn’t show anything in the background. It’s impossible to tell where he is.”

“What if we added my blood and magic to the mix, along with Spring’s?” Keaton asked.

Having only recently come into his abilities, he didn’t have the vast knowledge of her Thorne sisters, but he was willing to try whatever they might suggest if it meant bringing his son home in one piece. For that alone, Autumn adored him.

“Tell me what to do, babe,” he said, gripping her hand.

“You should know, if he’s been taken, it depends on how powerful the witch is who holds him,” Spring said grimly. “I’m not saying that’s what happened, but it’s better to prepare yourself for action.”

“I agree it’s a possibility,” Autumn said. “I can’t see Chloe wandering off with Jolly in tow. She’s too responsible.”

“Where’s the Carlyle grimoire, sissy?”

Although she had a photographic memory, Spring always liked to double-check before performing a spell. Hands down, she was the most skilled of Autumn’s sisters, but it could be argued that Summer and Winnie were the most powerful.

“I’m still at a loss how anyone got past our wards. Only the Aether has the power to take them down.” Autumn doused the candles and paced the room, unable to remain still while Spring selected a spell. “I thought all our enemies were neutralized. How the fuck is this happening?”

“I’m sorry, babe,” Keaton said, his voice achingly sweet and full of regret. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left Chloe to watch him.”

Although she was holding on to her sanity by a fraying thread, she couldn’t let her husband shoulder the blame. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his throat, sighing when his arms tightened around her.

“It’s not your fault, Keaton. We both believed Chloe was up to the task of watching him for short bursts of time. You couldn’t predict you’d be needed in the barn—” She jerked away and stared. “Wait! What was wrong with the horse? Was it a sudden onset?”

Horror dawned on her husband’s already ragged face, but it quickly dissipated, and he shook his head. “No. I’m positive it was typical founder. Unless someone was watching us for months on end, there’s no way anyone could’ve staged this. They wouldn’t have had the opportunity before now.”

2

Keaton’s gut clenched at the initial conclusion Autumn had drawn. He’d had to really give it some thought to determine if the incident in the barn was connected. But no. It couldn’t have been. Their horse Lazy Jay was prone to founder, and nothing about his current condition led Keaton to believe it was anything but bad luck and bad timing. Yet his kids were missing, and it was his damned fault for not calling one of his or his wife’s family members to come babysit.

Chloe had seemed so confident that she could take care of her toddler brother for a short time, and Keaton hadn’t wanted to hurt her feelings by denying she could. She’d sworn she wanted the responsibility, and at age twelve, she should’ve been able to care for Jolyon for a few hours, much less fifteen minutes.

All Keaton knew was that he’d never forgive himself if harm came to either of them. Neither would Autumn, despite how understanding and self-contained she was at the moment.

His gaze met and held Spring’s, and behind her bright eyes, he could see the wheels turning in her clever mind. The woman’s IQ was off the charts, and there wasn’t a situation she couldn’t resolve, given enough time.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“You said this wasn’t staged, and I tend to agree. But I can’t for the life of me figure out how they could simply disappear on their own. It makes no sense that Tums would see Chloe running from someone.” Spring flicked her thick chestnut hair over her shoulder in an absent gesture and strode over to the altar that contained the Carlyle grimoire and another, bigger book. She pointed to the one he’d never seen before. “Is this book always left out?”

Keaton met Autumn’s amber eyes and shared a confused look. “No. Didn’t you pull it out when you performed your scrying spell, babe?”

She shook her head, and her rich auburn hair tumbled from its updo. “Actually, no. I used a spell I remembered from the Thorne book.” His wife joined her sister by the altar. She paled when she read the selected page. “I don’t think anyone took our children, Keaton. I think they teleported themselves to another dimension.”

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