Page 98 of Oracles Always Win

“GetTeague,”Ishouted.

Peoplescrambled to do asIordered.

Ineeded to becomeJake’stether, but he needed to be awake and alert to make that happen.Asmall voice inside my head whisperedImight already be too late.Irefused to listen to it.

“I’mhere,”Teaguesaid as he stumbled into the motorhome.Hismagic was nearly exhausted.Heswayed on his feet and his face was a sickly color.

Ididn’t care.

“SaveJake,”Icommanded.Andthis time,Ididn’t hold back on any of my magic and power.Ilet the full weight ofTeague’sbargain with me fill the air.Thedeath mage was mine to protect, but also mine to command.

Teaguejerked forward under the weight of my order, his body seeking to obey despite his fatigue.Thenhis eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed to the floor.Itried to grab for him, butIcouldn’t reach him withJakein my arms.Jakehad ripped out the drawing he’d been making from his notebook and was starting another.

Iroared my frustration.

ThenIsaw what the drawing showed, and my heart lightened.

Therewas still hope.

Iheld my mate tightly in my arms and drew upon my magic.ThenIreached through all the magics rushing through the air and foundJake’s.Itwas familiar to me.Ilet my mind tumble back to the moment when our magics had danced with one another this morning asI’dheld him in my arms.Ourconnection was still there.Itwas as faint as the magical tattoos still clinging tenuously to our skin, but it didn’t matter.Allthat mattered was thatIsaw it.Ifelt it.

Ipushed my magic out to my mate through the thin thread linking us together.

Hismagic fought mine, but mine was stronger.

Icouldn’t sever his link to his own magic, butIcould make him sleep.Justfor a little while.Longenough to get him back toWillowLake.Myintuition told me everything would be okay ifIgot him back there.

“Stop,”Isaid firmly to him.

Jaketrembled in my arms, then slumped forward.Thepencil he’d been clutching fell from his fingers and rolled off the table to the floor.Iturned his face to mine, needing to feel his breaths heaving in and out of his body as he fought to stay alive.Hiseyelashes fluttered, then his eyes opened slightly.

Hisgaze caught on mine and held for the count of one… two…

Hismouth twitched andIswore he was trying to smile.

“Sleep, my mate.”

Thenhis eyes drifted closed again and he relaxed in my arms.

“Gatherthe team,”Isaid. “Weneed to return toWillowLake.Now.”

Amoment later, my team was crammed into the motorhome, evenIsaacandNelson.Wecould collect the motorbike andDavina’scar later.Fornow,Ijust needed my family with me.Theywere bruised, bloody, and exhausted, but they were all still alive.

“Nelson, getTeagueoff the floor.Adrian, drive us back.IsaacandDavina, get everyone what they need to recover.I’mgoing to the back withJake.”

Davina’seyes were wet, but she quickly wiped away her tears.

“Areyou injured?”Iasked her.

Sheshook her head. “Justso fucking happy you’re still with us.”

“Yeah, boss man,”Isaacsaid. “It’sgood to see you.”

“Whatdo you mean?”Ifrowned.

Everyonewas staring at me exceptNelson, who was still maneuvering an unconsciousTeagueonto the sofa.JeremyandAshwere inching away from me as far as they could within the confines of the motorhome.TheEmeraldMackobantwas perched onJeremy’sshoulder, hissing and baring its teeth at me.Ash’smate was not there.Hemust still be out assistingVanand the other members of the local police force with the cleanup.

ThenNelsonturned to face me too.Hisskin was as pale asI’dever seen it, shockingly white against his black hair.Hecleared his throat. “Wethought it was time.Wethought…”