Bait

by Kasi Blake

Nick swung a heavy sword in a circle over his head, one-handed. Fencing by himself in the open yard behind the castle, he worried for Van’s safety. Their fearless leader should have returned by now. Nick contemplated crossing over to find him. He would do it in a second if he knew for sure that Van was in danger. If business was simply taking longer than usual, the man wouldn’t appreciate Nick’s interference.

  Mike burst through the back doors with Keisha a few steps behind. “There you are! We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  “Want to spar, elf? I could use a partner.”

  Mike took the sword from Nick and tossed it on the grass. “No time. We’re going to the Spirit Realm. Now.”

  Nick squinted at them. “Am I missing something?”

  “A monster took Bay-Lee,” Keisha said. “We didn’t have time to stop it. It happened super quick. New-girl is gone.”

  The blood drained from Nick’s face as the bottom dropped out of his world. Not even losing his secret identity could compare to this. For years Van had hid his daughter from the other side, knowing they would kill her, and now they had her. It was possible they’d already killed her. What if she was gone forever? What was he going to do? How would he survive the loss?

  “What took her?” he asked, automatically going into professional mode.

  Mike threw his hands up. “Don’t know. It happened too fast. I think the thing traveled over through her closet.”

  “It would help if we had a destination.”

  “The Order probably took her,” Keisha said. “Ten to one you can find her in their secret lair.”

  The last sentence was spoken tongue-in-cheek. Keisha, as well as everyone else at Van’s school, knew the location of the so-called secret lair. Every creature in the Spirit Realm knew where it was located, and some of them were spies working for hunters. It was important to know where your enemies liked to hang out.

  Mike scratched the back of his hand. “Maybe we should round up a team of hunters to cross over with us. The more, the better.”

  “We don’t have time,” Nick said. “Besides, if we charge over there with an army, they can say we broke the truce. It’ll just have to be the three of us.”

  Keisha got a funny look on her face. Eyes wide, she stood there staring at them like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Then she giggled into her hand. “Sorry. I can’t go with you. Before Bay-Lee was taken I drank some wine. You know what Van says about crossing over with alcohol in your bloodstream.”

  “You’re drunk?” Mike’s eyes sharpened on her face.

  She giggled again. “Little bit, yeah.”

  “We don’t have time for this,” Nick stated. “Let’s go.”

  “Weapons?” Mike asked.

  Nick picked up his sword. “I have a dagger strapped to my leg. You?”

  “I have a gun in my pants.”

  Keisha broke out laughing hard. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

  Nick glared at her before grabbing Mike by the arm. They needed to be touching to cross over together. After years of visiting the Spirit Realm they were able to cross without much concentration. Nick didn’t even need to take deep breaths anymore to calm his nerves. He simply willed himself to journey to the other side. In a split-second he and Mike vanished from Keisha’s sight.