She looked away. "I'm under orders, Jack.”

Jack took her by the shoulders and made her look up at him. "I love her, Ingrid," he repeated. "Don't do this to me, please.”

Ingrid sighed, swore, and softened. "Stefan kidnapped the godmother to draw Mira out. They're holding her at Duskoff International. Mira went with the others to try and get her back." She paused. "What are you going to do?”

"I'm going to make sure she's safe. I'm killing anyone who gets in my way.”

She nodded slowly. "That's a good plan. Simple. Brutal. Effective. Easy to remember.”

"I think so.”

"They didn't tell you because—Jack? Jack?”

He was already on his way to New York.

Mira got a fascinating crash course in wardweaving and wardbreaking with Andrea, an earth witch. Apparently, only earth witches could construct or deconstruct a warding because it was all done with plants and potions and things that remained elusive mysteries to Mira.

She and Andrea set up operations in Thomas's kitchen, using a dozen small vials and beakers of various liquids and powders. It looked more complex than chemistry class.

They brought in a sample copy of the warding where Mira had found the rip from around the Duskoff Building, sort of like a metaphysical carbon copy, and set about trying different combinations of potions to tear it down. Mira helped by describing the texture of the fissure. She was the only one with that knowledge since she'd squeezed through it. Andrea and another earth witch named Devon worked to exploit it.

Finally, at 2 p.m. something in the kitchen went boom. Not a big boom, just a little one. Enough to make Mira's ears pop.

"Bingo," declared Andrea.

Thomas walked into the kitchen. "Damn, you're good, Andrea.”

"Yes, I am. I deserve a raise," she answered, beaming. "I must say that Mira made it happen, though. Without the knowledge of the inconsistency and location of that tear, I couldn't have broken it.”

"So, we're going then?" asked Mira impatiently.

"We're going in five minutes," said Thomas loudly as he pulled Mira to the side. Everyone jumped to get ready to leave. "Listen, about Jack. I think you should know before we go in that—”

She held up her hand to stop him. "I can't think about him right now. I feel bad about leaving him behind, and it's important I channel all my concentration on getting Annie out.”

He pursed his lips together. "Okay. I just want you to know that you always have a place at the Coven. You always have a job with us. When this is over—”

"You mean if we don't get killed," she added.

He inclined his head a degree. "If we don't get killed, you have a home and a career waiting for you in Chicago.”

She gave his shoulder a warm squeeze. "Thank you, Thomas. If we make it through today, I'll consider your offer.”