Page 48 of My Orc Nanny

“Who’s that?” came Mavis’s call, and I ignored her to wrench open the front door. Allison was standing beside the SUV, and when she saw me, she paled. My rage must have shown on my face.

“Someone took Ben,” I snapped out, not bothering to modulate my volume. “A bright blue sedan, Tennessee plates. Call the cops and Hannah!” I yelled, already jogging backwards down the street.

“Wait!” Allison called frantically, hand out. “Where are you going?”

“There’s only one place he’s going!” I bellowed, turning around.

And I know where it is.

My feet pounded against the asphalt as I hurtled down the center of the road, not bothering to swerve for oncoming traffic. The cars would get out of my way, or I’d go through them, becausenothingwas going to stop me from getting to the ferry dock.

My breath burned in my lungs, my arms pumped, and I refused to believe I would miss the ferry. MyKteerurged me to focus on thehunt chase kill, but I struggled to guess the time. We arrived at the store a little before eleven, and the ferry left Eastshore docks on the half hour.

It was the only way off Eastshore, and if that’s where the bastard had taken Benny, I had to beat him there. I couldn’t catch him, but I could head him off.

Because if he got on the ferry before I could reach him, who knew how much time he’d have to hurt my charge. My kitling.My son.

Howling with rage, I pushed myself harder.

Chapter Twelve

Hannah

Oh God.

Oh God.

Oh God.

Unable to breathe, I raced toward the parking lot, my mother’s frantic phone call still ringing in my ears.

“Benny was taken from the shop! Aswan is chasing after the car; the police are on their way!”

I hadn’t even excused myself from the meeting; I’d just started running. Now I threw myself into the driver’s seat and slammed into reverse, yelling at my phone, “Call Aswan!”

As I hurtled through Eastshore, the phone rang and rang.

Please be okay.Please be okay.

If Aswan was chasing the kidnapper, then he wouldn’t pick up.Please be okay. I wasn’t sure if I was praying for Benny or Aswan or both.

Breathe. Breathe.

Oh God, I needed to focus. I couldn’t careen through town, helplessly scanning all directions for my stolen son.Focus.

I sucked in a deep breath and forced my foot off the gas. Another deep breath. A third.

I needed a focus. Adirection. A strike of inspiration.

It never came, but I felt myself turning left on Seahorse without any reason. Another deep breath, and…

And…

I turned on Cuttlefish Lane, heading toward the docks.

I don’t know why. I don’t know how.

But IknewAswan was there. He was somewhere ahead of me, and he’d be able to tell me where Benny was.

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