Page 110 of Shifting Spirits

“Right. Rachel mentioned that when she texted me. Did something else happen?”

“You could say that. Something just sucked Rachel, Adrian and Silas into the house.”

“Um, could you repeat that?”

“It had to be magic, and Rachel looked pretty panicky. She used magic to throw me further away so it couldn’t get me, but something or someone pulled them all into the house.”

“Oh, Goddess,” Amanda murmurs.

“I’m freaking out here. I don’t know what to do.”

“You did the right thing calling me. I’ll leave a note for Dante, and I’ll be right there. Did you call Cheryl?”

“I was just about to.”

“Okay, good. Do that, and I’ll be there in a sec.”

I hang up and call Cheryl.

The line rings and rings. She’s probably busy. Too bad.

I need her. Rachel needs her. I’m not going to quit calling.

After maybe twelve rings, a female voice picks up. “Um, hello?”

“Cheryl!” I exclaim.

“No, sorry, she’s out running with the pack.”

“Well, can you get her, please? It’s urgent. Her coven leader needs her help.”

“Her coven leader? But Cheryl’s an Alpha. Why does she have a coven leader?”

“Whoisthis?” I ask, wondering how someone in her pack doesn’t know who Rachel is.

“My name is Ophelia. I haven’t been here long. I’m Oscar’s sister.”

Right. The Fates freed her from the man who bought her and kept her like a pet.

No wonder she sounds a bit strange.

“Okay, Ophelia. Can you please go get Cheryl? It’s urgent. Rachel needs her.”

“Oh, Rachel,” she says. “Of course. Give me a minute.”

I look around. No sign of Amanda, yet.

I pace around under the streetlight.

All this waiting is driving me insane.

The longer I need to be out here while my pack are in that house, going through Fenrir only knows what, the less resistant I become to the idea of charging in there alone and taking down any strangers inside. I doubt it would be that simple. There’s magic involved. Still, it’s starting to sound better than the alternative.

“Carter?” Cheryl asks. “Is that you?”

Finally!“It’s me. I wouldn’t be calling if this wasn’t an emergency. I’m in Midnight Valley. I came out here with my pack to find out what happened to a missing spirit for Silas, and everyone but me was dragged into the house. By some kind of magic, not by a ghost. I don’t think. Unless ghosts can use magic or drag people into houses?”

“You’re in Midnight Valley?”

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