Chapter 23

“She has no tattoo.” Michael told Alona. “So we know she’s not spelled by the same magic Eunice was.”

“She knows what going on?” Autumn asked him.

“That’s what Kara and Elder Udela can tell us.” He answered.

Izzy nodded and looked at me. “Hopefully we can.”

“I’m going in too.” Alona announced. Chase tilted his head and gave her a look. Alona motioned to me. “Kara is going to give me the inhibitor when she takes it off.” She gave him a stern look. “I can ask the questions.” She tapped her chest. “I know what questions to ask.”

Autumn glanced at Chase. “I’ll be there, don’t worry I’ve got her covered.”

Michael frowned.

Autumn shrugged, “You big guys go in there and she’s going to clam up. If we,” she motioned to Izzy, Alona and I, “go in there, we might get somewhere.”

Michael looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Let us know if you need anything to validate what you’re saying to her.”

Autumn touched his arm and smiled. “Thanks, Iceman.”

“We’ll have the guards step out once you go in.” Troy told me.

“Anything you can find out will help.” Daxx said quickly.

I nodded. I took the scanner out of my pocket and held it over the cuff. It came off. I handed them to Alona and glanced at Izzy. She pushed the button on her bracelet, then nodded to me.

Chase helped Alona put the cuff on and then pulled open the door.

I followed Alona to see a woman sitting at the table Prince Bastian has sat at earlier. The woman had bright blue, spiked hair and I didn’t need to hear her thoughts to know she was afraid.

“Leila,” Alona pulled out a chair and sat down, “do you remember me?”

Leila looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. At the island.”

…I wonder why we don’t go there anymore…

Alona nodded. “Yes.”

Izzy looked at me, then picked up her phone and typed something on it.

Leila ran her hand over the device on her wrist. “What is this for?”

Alona glanced at her phone. I realized that Izzy must have told her what we heard.

“It’s a stabilizer.” Izzy told her. “So you can be in this realm without repercussions to your health.”

Leila’s eyes went wide. “I’m here? I’m in Alterealm?”

Alona nodded. “Yes.”

“Nelson said he’d bring me here when it was safe to do so.” She looked around. “Is he meeting us here?”

…I can’t believe I’m here…

…why am I here without him though?...

“Not just yet.” Izzy said. “How did you and Nelson meet?”

Leila smiled, “It was the most terrifying, but wonderful thing.” She looked at Alona. “You understand how hard it is to live longer than anyone around you?” Alona nodded. “And how trying it is to find somewhere safe to feed,” she waved a hand, “without anyone catching on.” Alona nodded again.

I had no idea what she was talking about. Safe to feed? I blinked so I’d stay in the present.

“A group of us had been rounded up,” she put her hand against her chest, “I was so scared. Then Nelson tells them there’s been a mistake and I’m not to be included among them.” She smiled. “He was quite intimidating at first, but he's really quite sweet.”

Izzy coughed. “Excuse me.” She said quickly.

“What about Nelson's sister, Eunice, you get along with her?” Autumn leaned closer.

Leila nodded. “She’s a little brusque at times, but we get along well enough. She’s away on business right now...”

“What sort of business?” Alona asked.

...I don't understand all of these questions...

“I can't remember if Nelson shared any of the particulars.”

... he's going to be cross with me. He doesn't like me talking about things...

Izzy typed on her phone.

Alona looked at the phone in her hand. “Do you and Nelson stay with the others or do you have your own place?” Alona gave her a small smile. “I was concerned about that during our meeting, living with strangers.”

“Oh,” Leila smiled, “no everyone doesn't live together, that would be awkward. A few do, but Nelson and I have our place.”

...don't share locations...

“Is it in a nice neighborhood?” Alona smiled again. “I live across the bridge; the view is spectacular.”

Leila nodded. “I imagine it would be. Nelson isn't fond of heights, so I'm afraid we're on the ground floor. It’s a lovely neighborhood though, we're two doors down from the most delightful bakery.” She smiled. “Waking up to that fresh smell of bread in the morning.”

“I'd be fat living that close.” Alona smiled.

...I do like her...

... I wondered why I hadn't seen her again...

“Your business trip, it was successful?” Leila asked.

“Quite.” Alona replied. Then turned to Autumn.

Autumn nodded and leaned on the table. “I have some hard questions for you, Leila.” Autumn nodded, “you seem like good people and nothing pisses me off more than someone being taken advantage of.”

Leila nodded.

...she’s very straightforward...

... Nelson would like her...

“I'll help if I can.”

Autumn nodded again and typed quickly on her phone. Setting it down, she looked at her. “Do you know what was happening on the island?”

Leila looked at Alona for a moment, before turning back. “We housed many women there, to keep them safe.”

Slowly nodding, Autumn held her look. “From whom?”

Leila frowned.

…I didn’t ask details…

“I’m not sure, Nelson told me they needed to be kept safe,” she shrugged, “I assumed from husbands, gangs…”

“They weren’t safe there.” Autumn gave her a steady look. “They were being held there against their will.”

“That’s-that can’t be right.” Leila shook her head.

…horrid, why would they say that?...

“Did you ever go up to the top and see for yourself?” Alona asked her.

“No.” Leila looked distressed, “there was never time. Nelson is very busy with his work. He’s an advisor to a very important man.”

It was sad that she held such esteem for a man like that.

“Willis Hubert?” Izzy asked.

Leila nodded. “Yes. Yes, that’s right.”

“We rescued women from that island.” Alona said in a hushed way. “They were forced to,” Alona looked at her hands holding her phone, “have relations with men.”

Leila blanched. “That can’t be—Nelson…”

“She’s not lying.” Autumn told her.

…that’s not right…

…Nelson said they needed protection, so they were hid…

The door opened and Michael stepped in.

Getting up, Autumn went over to him and took a tablet from him. He spoke to her quietly. She nodded and came back over and sat down. She handed Alona the tablet. “On this are some pictures of girls that were forced to leave the island with men.”

Alona did something on the screen, then held it for Leila to see.

…Kara…

…shit, I don’t know if I’m doing this right…

I turned to look at Autumn, she stared at me.

…they found receipts in her purse from the bakery. She has no phone. We need an address…

Her eyes sparkled.

…we’re so close to getting Eunice’s brother I can taste it…

“Why would you show me these?”

I turned back to Leila. She was distraught.

“Because you need to know the truth. Nelson’s lying to you. They’re all lying to you.” Autumn’s voice was steady.

Leila shook her head.

…I need to talk to Nelson…

“Eunice isn’t on a business trip.” Autumn said as she pointed to the tablet. “She’s in one of the cells here in Alterealm. She remembers nothing. Nelson had his own sister spelled so she’d go along with Willis Hubert’s sick plan.”

Alona turned the tablet again. “There’s Eunice, pacing in her cell. Right now.”

Leila leaned forward and looked at it. Her emotions were plain to see on her face. She frowned, then shook her head. “This can’t be right.”

…how could all of this happen…

…I thought he cared about me…

…it’s a lie…

I looked at Alona and nodded.

She reached over and turned the tablet off. “We need to find Nelson, Leila. We have to put a stop to women being hurt.”

Placing her hand against her chest, Leila nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I can’t—” She turned to Autumn, “I just-thought…”

…how could I be so stupid?...

Closing her eyes, she put her hand against her forehead for a moment. When she opened her eyes, she looked at Autumn. “What do you need me to do?”

Autumn nodded her head slowly. “Do you know where Nelson is right now?”

Leila looked at the tablet. “What time is it?”

Alona glanced at her phone. “Four p.m.”

Leila clasped he hands together on the table. “He’s always home by six for dinner with me. Some nights he’s not there long…”

…what’s going to happen to me now?...

I didn’t know if I was supposed to talk, but I blurted it out anyway. “We’ll keep you safe.”

Alona glanced at me.

Autumn shrugged. “You may be under house arrest for a while, but we won’t let Nelson and his flunkies come after you.”

Leila gave her a shaky nod. “We’re two doors down from the Dutch bakery on Clive avenue, number three fourteen.”

Autumn typed on her phone.

Alona put her hand on hers. “Thank you.”

“Is your home warded?” Izzy asked.

Leila shook her head. “No. I didn’t want any of that magic stuff in my home.”

“Do you have any sort of signal to let Nelson know all is well, or isn’t?” Izzy sat forward in her chair.

Leila shook her head. “No. No one knows where we are. Nelson wanted our place to be excluded from the list of safehouses they used.” She put her shaking hand over her mouth. “It was our home.”

Izzy gave her an understanding look. “Thank you for your help. I can’t begin to explain how dire the situation could have become if it continued.”

Leila gave her a bleak look and brief nod.

She was so stunned; I wasn’t picking up any thoughts at all.

Alona picked up the tablet and stood up. Autumn did as well and lead us from the room.

The entire royal family was outside the door.

“We got his address.” Autumn said with a big grin.

Alona nodded and hugged Chase. “He’ll be home within the next two hours.”

Chase hugged her. “Let’s not keep him waiting.”

“Did she know?” Paisley asked. “What’s really going on?” She looked at me.

I shook my head. “No. He managed to keep her in the dark and away from just about everything.”

Izzy nodded. “He thoroughly conned her.”

“When do we go?” Autumn asked.

Michael gave her a cautious look. “You’re not going. The last time you saw Nelson we pulled a blade out of your guts.”

“Yeah,” she gave him a look, “I’d say we’re overdue for a face to face.”

“I believe what your mate is failing to say is we need Nelson alive and functional.” Troy said.

“He’ll be alive.” Autumn scowled at Troy, “and mostly functional.”

Izzy looked at her phone. “I’m afraid I have to borrow Kara.” She gave me a big smile. “Cyril has your device ready to try and still needs to discuss arrows with you,” she frowned, “or was it bows?”

I glanced over to Rafael. He gave me a slight nod. “Okay.” I bit my lip. The idea of having a device that would allow me to control if I heard or not, with just the push of a button was pretty exciting.

Izzy smiled at Troy. “Come find us when you have Nelson. If we’re lucky we’ll be able to get all the answers we need from inside his head,” she shrugged and glanced to Arius, “one way or another.”

Troy nodded, a not so pleasant smile on his face. “You will be called first.”