Chapter 14 #3
“I’m Barrett, and this is Warren.” Barrett wiggled his phone. “Carleigh just called. What is your plan?”
“I am going to locate the woman who looks like Gemi and portal her to the safehouse. I do not want her around Juni in case she isn’t who she appears to be.”
“What can we do to help?”
“Do you know how many people are at the compound?”
“Thermal imaging showed five.”
“I am going to cause a distraction. If I can get everyone out of the main house, I will grab the female and portal her out.”
Warren rubbed his chin. “Is that wise? What if they have cameras and get you on film doing that?”
“If they were to show someone, would anyone believe such a thing is possible? It’s a risk I am willing to take.
Once I have the woman, call Carleigh and tell her I have gone to the safehouse.
I will secure the woman and get the truth out of her as to whether or not she is Gemi.
If not, I will need Major to voice her the same way he did the other one. ”
“Won’t you need to portal Major to the safehouse? If so, one of us should go with you to watch over the female.”
Nekoma hadn’t thought of that. “I would appreciate the assistance.”
Barrett gestured to Warren. “You go with Nekoma, and I’ll call Carleigh now so she can get hold of Major and have him on standby. I’ll then send one of the drones up so she and the others can watch what is happening.”
Warren slapped the other Goyle on the shoulder, laughing. “You just don’t want to go through the portal.”
Barrett huffed. “I’m sure it’s a perfectly safe way to travel. Major made it in one piece.”
Nekoma assumed they were joking with each other, but still, he reassured them, “I would never allow harm to come to either of you.”
“Nah, man. I’m just giving my buddy a hard time. Tabitha shared how you helped Elle defeat Grevolus. We trust you.”
Being a dark fae, trust was difficult to come by, so Barrett’s words were most welcome. “Thank you. Warren, would you like to walk to the compound or take a portal to see how it feels?”
The larger Gargoyle smacked his hands together.
“Hell, let’s portal.” Nekoma waved his hands, and the vortex swirled a few feet away.
Warren gave Barrett a two-fingered salute.
“See you on the flip side.” He didn’t wait on the fae, stepping through with no hesitation.
Nekoma followed the Goyle, and the portal closed behind them.
They still had to walk about a quarter of a mile to get to the compound, but before they set out, Nekoma called on both the crows and ravens in the area since ravens were scarce in this part of the country. When they circled overhead, he let out a gronk, and they flew to do his bidding.
“Let’s go.” He had planned on shifting into his winged form, but with Warren also coming through the portal, he decided to remain in his skin. He called on the shadows to hide them as they approached the compound. The closer they got, the louder the birds.
Warren stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it. “That’s a distraction, all right.”
They stopped about twenty feet from the larger house.
The front door flew open, and several people charged outside to see what the noise was.
Nekoma tugged Warren along, keeping him cloaked in the shadows.
When the woman who looked like Gemi came out on the porch, Nekoma stopped.
He needed her on the ground. He let out a gronk, and several birds swooped in, flapping their wings in her face.
Luckily, she took off down the steps instead of retreating back inside.
They closed the distance, and when they were close enough, Warren grabbed her around the waist with one arm and clasped his free hand over her mouth so she couldn’t scream or alert the others.
Nekoma opened a portal next to them, and they stepped through.
One of the Black Lotus men sent a blast of air after them, knocking them to the ground. Nekoma dropped the spell, and the vortex closed before the man could follow. The two males climbed to their feet, but the woman was slower to rise. She sat up, her eyes wide.
“Thank you for saving me,” she said.
Nekoma and Warren shared a look, and Warren pulled her to her feet, keeping his hand banded around her arm.
Nekoma pulled one of the potions from his satchel.
“Hold her head,” he instructed. Warren did as he bade, and Nekoma removed the stopper from the bottle, then poured the liquid into the woman’s mouth.
He clamped her jaws shut so she couldn’t spit it out.
It was the same type of potion he had used on Grevolus to render him paralyzed, but the amount was much less. He wanted her to be able to speak.
Nekoma put the stopper back in the bottle, stowing it in his satchel. “What is your name?”
“Gemi Tan,” she responded without faltering.
“Why are you working with the Black Lotus?”
“They kidnapped me. Is Bayu okay?”
“Bayu’s fine.” Nekoma studied the woman. Either she was the real Gemi, or something about her counteracted the potion he’d given her.
The woman’s shoulders relaxed. “I need to get to him. I know how to undo the curse.”