“Well, let me know if I can offer any help. I talked to Rose earlier, and it sounds like you’ve already got her working on something. Feel free to use her and Dimitri and Neil however you can if it’ll help get Jill back.”

Lissa’s tone sounded perfectly innocent, and I realized Rose must have kept the news of Declan secret even from her best friend. It made me grateful but also drove home the precariousness of Declan’s situation. Lissa’s mention of Neil also reminded me that we still hadn’t yet had a chance to sit him down and explain what’s going on. Too many complications just kept coming up.

The rest of the day was spent waiting for Jackie and Eddie to come by. Marcus, who’d spent so much of his life on the run, seemed perfectly at ease cooped up in the cabin’s small living room. Sydney and I, who’d grown used to our freedom, short as it was, had a harder time. We made all the plans we could with our friends remotely, and then mostly tried to pass the time. Despite the private location, we were hesitant to go outside. The house’s one TV was in the basement, and the secondhand smoke coming out of there was strong enough to keep us away. That left a stack of old Reader’s Digests as our remaining entertainment.

“There’s a car pulling up,” said Marcus later that evening. He’d been standing near the window, occasionally looking out the drawn curtains. A frown crossed his face. “I don’t see Jackie or Eddie.”

Sydney leapt up and joined him at the window. After a few moments, her tension faded. “It’s okay. I know them.”

Marcus opened the door, and two women I recognized entered. One was Maude, the senior member of Sydney’s coven, who’d helped at the lake. The other was feisty old Inez, giving me a wink as she stepped across the threshold. Maude lingered at the door, keeping it open as though she expected someone else to come through. No one did, and after several seconds, she nodded for Marcus to close it. I knew enough from Sydney to realize someone invisible had entered, and as that realization hit me, the spell surrounding that person broke.

“Eddie,” Sydney exclaimed, running to give him a hug.

He grinned back. “You guys okay?”

“Fine,” I said. “Just stocking up on carbs and waiting for the next phase of craziness to start.”

“You’re sure no one followed you?” asked Marcus, tugging the curtains around the front windows closer together.

“Positive,” said Eddie. “We met up in a public place, and the Alchemists sent to watch me never even knew I left with these two.”