Witch Unbound by Debbie Cassidy

Chapter Three

She wanted me to free Croatoan? Was she insane? I opened my mouth to object, but the light shattered, taking me with it.

I materialized by the window in the lounge of our clifftop house.

The bitch had kicked me out.

“Cora!” Leif rushed toward me. “You’re okay. What happened?”

My mind was a mess, and a cacophony of emotions churned inside me. Focus. I’d gone to get Rune back. He’d said my name even though I hadn’t told him what it was.

He’d remembered me. “Is Rune back?”

Leif’s face crumpled and he shook his head. “I thought… It didn’t work, did it?”

Tor was crouched by Rune, holding his friend’s hand. He didn’t look up as I approached, and when he spoke, his voice was thick with tears.

“I wanted to believe…” He cleared his throat. “I wanted him back so bad.”

The entity had said it was up to Rune to find his way home, and I had faith in my mate. I could still feel our connection, and that meant his soul wasn’t lost to us.

“There’s still time.” I gave them a rundown on what had happened and how everything hinged on Rune’s memories of us. “He remembered me at the last moment.” I knelt beside Tor. “Just as I was forced to leave, he remembered me. He called out my name and the entity said it was up to him to find his way back.” I looked at Tor, then Leif. “I can still feel him. He’s connected to me and to the seal.”

Leif joined us on the floor by Rune. “He can do this. If he remembered you, he’ll remember us all and he’ll fight his way back.” Leif stroked Rune’s hair. “I forgot what a handsome bastard you are.”

Tor snorted. “Yeah, the ladies always swooned.”

“And that guitar playing,” Leif said.

“And the singing.” I placed my hand on Rune’s chest. “His voice…”

“You heard him sing?” Leif looked surprised.

I nodded. “It was…something.”

Tor chuckled softly. “Rune was a magnet for the ladies, but he was never interested in any of them, always with his nose stuck in a—”

“Book.” I grinned up at him. “Yep, exactly how I found him at the bar.”

We focused on his still form, silent and watchful for long minutes.

“Will Rune wake up now?” I glanced at Wren, who was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. “Is Rune awake now?” he asked again.

I touched Rune’s cheek. Cold.

Dead.

Reality slugged me in the gut, bringing tears to my eyes. Rune was dead.

What were we doing? Reminiscing and waiting for the off chance he’d claw his way back from another life in another world?

“What are we doing?” Tor said, echoing my thoughts. “He’s dead. I killed him.”

He pushed away from the sofa and walked away.

Wren padded over, pressing one paw to my hand and the other to Rune’s. “So far away,” he said. “Wren will help.”

“What?” I looked at my little fae buddy, but his eyes were closed. “Wren?”

He began to hum.

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