Free Into the Fae by Quinn Loftis

presence of the evil that was Volcan. Lorelle took several deep breaths and closed her eyes. She focused on the magic that was flowing in her veins, foreign to her body because it wasn’t her own. In order to do what Volcan had commanded, she was going to have to listen to it and follow its lead. The sooner she got those healers to Volcan, the sooner she could be devising an escape plan to get away from the fae who had taken evil to a whole new level.
     
    ∞
     
    Peri watched as Rachel, the Romanian Pack gypsy healer, pulled an old and rather worn book from the shelf behind her desk. Rachel set the book down and a layer of dust puffed out from between the pages.
    “I take it this isn’t one that you refer to very often?” Peri asked.
    Rachel smiled her sweet smile and replied in her soft spoken manner, “It isn’t very often that I have to use my magic in a non-healing manner.”
    “Pssht,” Peri scoffed, “Now you’re just telling lies. Ever since you and your mate came out of hiding you’ve been using your magic for all sorts of things besides healing.”
    “Guided by you,” Rachel countered. “You are asking me to do something without your assistance that isn’t healing. That’s going to take a little research.”
    “Well , by all means, please consult the big, old, dusty book.” Peri hopped up onto one of the long counters, pushing beakers and plants out of the way. She crossed her legs and prepared to wait while Rachel attempted to figure out a way to seek out their quarry with the use of her magic. Peri’s mind drifted after several minutes to the conversation she’d had with Sally, the Serbian Pack healer, earlier that morning.
    “I wish I could help you Peri but I just can’t leave right now,” Sally had told her in her sweet southern voice.
    “You aren’t even staying with your pack, what does it matter if you leave the continent for a few days?” She’d asked, even though she had known what the healer would say.
    “Jacque is pregnant; you know that if there is a healer with her the chances of a successful birth are much greater. If you are taking Rachel, then I need to stay.”
    Peri knew she was right. Jacque needed a healer with her, especially when she went into labor. Jen hadn’t had one with her when her child was born and it was a miracle that she lived. Of course, Peri was convinced if the little girl was anything like her mother then she was just too ornery to die. Truth be told, Peri was being selfish because she figured if she had two healers then they would find the five girls more quickly and then she could get back to taking care of her sister. That’s what it all came back to—Lorelle. But then, what did she expect when her own sibling tried to end her? Those with immortality tend to be quite stingy with their life, and usually get pretty freaking ticked off when someone tries to take them out. Peri was beyond ticked, she was hurt and confused and that just made her all the angrier.
    “I think I might have found something that will work,” Rachel’s soft voice broke through Peri’s thoughts.
    Peri pushed herself off of the counter and walked back over to Rachel’s desk. “Let’s hear it.”
    “It ’s an ancient finding spell used by the gypsies when the clans suspected that there was a healer among them that hadn’t been revealed,” Rachel explained as her eyes continued to scan over the yellowed pages. Her eyes narrowed and then her lips tightened. “Sally isn’t going to like this.”
    Peri cocked a hip out to the side as she crossed her arms in front of her. “Why ? Do you have to sacrifice a puppy?”
    Rachel’s furrowed brow deepened. “Well no,” she said quickly.
    “Castrate an elephant?”
    “No.”
    “Hold Jen’s baby on a cliff overlooking the animal kingdom and sing Circle of Life?”
    Rachel let out an exasperated breath. “Are you done?”
    Peri shrugged. “After the things I just said, I’m betting it doesn’t seem so bad