Copper Veins(53)

“All right,” Max said, grabbing my hands. “Let’s go talk to the silver man.”



In the blink of an eye, Max and I were standing in the manor’s kitchen. It was deserted, without the familiar bustle of silverkin whipping up everything from toast to three-layer cakes. I could barely breathe—finally, we would know. What did Micah and Mom do after we’d disappeared? Were they in the manor at all?

We left the kitchen and I couldn’t have been more relieved—Micah was in the big parlor having a conversation with one of his magistrates. He hadn’t shaved in a few days and was sporting a scruffy beard that matched the shadows under his eyes. My heart leapt at the sight of him, and all I wanted to do right then was jump into his arms and cover him with kisses. Of course, being that I was my dreamself, I would have passed right through him if I’d tried that.

After I’d stared at Micah for a few moments, I noticed the rest of the activity. The guards from the village were milling about and maps were strewn across every available surface. In the far corner I spied Ash standing next to a rack of swords and some crossbows.

“This is like a war room,” I muttered. I watched as Micah dismissed the magistrate and strode into the dining room. The long table was covered with maps and scrolls, compasses, a telescope, and other instruments I didn’t recognize. I peeked over Micah’s shoulder and saw that one of the scrolls was a list of places in the Mundane world, beginning with Moose Lake. My heart swelled—Micah had organized a search. He was looking for us.

“Don’t get all weepy on me,” Max warned. “Are you really surprised that he’s searching? I sure as hell would go after my wife.”

I nodded and watched as Micah checked the list, made a few notes, then returned to the parlor and handed the information over to Ash. “Are we going to have to wait for him to go to sleep?” I glanced at the windows and saw bright sunlight pouring in. Micah was not known for sleeping during the day.

“He’s your man,” Max said. “He’ll know you’re here.”

Would he? My earlier doubts threatened to creep forward, but I squashed them. Before Dad and Jerome had invaded my happy relationship with their unsolicited opinions, I’d been certain that Micah loved me. What’s more, despite my anger and our quarrels, I was still certain that I loved him. I just needed to tap into that love to get his attention.

I stepped closer to Micah, only freaking out a little when his physical body passed right through my dreamself. Luckily, Max’s laughter brought me back to reality pretty quickly. Then Micah paused, leaning on the mantel as he rubbed his eyes.

“Micah,” I whispered. “Micah, I’m here.” He glanced to the side, but that was the only reaction I got. “Micah,” I said, louder. “Micah, it’s me, Sara!”

Micah straightened, his gaze sweeping across the room. So he really could feel me. I took the last step toward him and placed my hand over his heart. Micah stared at his chest for a moment, then his physical body fell to the floor as his dreamself swept me into his arms.

“Sara,” he murmured into my hair, “my Sara. I feared you were lost to me.”

“We went to the lake,” I choked out, the rest of my words drowned out by sobs.

“Don’t cry, love,” Micah murmured. “I have you.” Once I’d calmed down a bit, he continued. “Maeve and I thought you had all embarked on one of your father’s missions, but when you hadn’t returned by nightfall, we knew something had to have gone wrong. It was your mother who suggested we check the lake first. We saw signs of a struggle, but your abductors hid their tracks well.”

Mom. By some luck, or some magic beyond that of the Otherworld, she knew. “Yeah. There was a struggle,” I croaked. I pulled back, Micah’s eyes widening when he saw my battered self.

“Love,” he whispered, gingerly touching the cut across my cheekbone, “who did this to you?”

“A Peacekeeper named Girard.” I flinched, and Micah’s eyes hardened.

“I will kill him.” A statement of fact.

“There are a couple others that need killing,” Max said. I don’t think Micah had even noticed that Max was in the room. I know I’d forgotten all about him.

“Max, find Maeve,” Micah ordered, never taking his eyes from mine. “Find a way to explain to her what has happened and create a portal that will deliver her to where you are located. I must speak with my wife alone.”

Now, Max normally wasn’t one to follow orders from anyone except Dad, but Micah’s tone made it clear that mouthing off wasn’t an option. I didn’t turn around, I couldn’t break Micah’s gaze—but after a moment, I sensed that Max’s dreamself was gone. I was terrified that Micah was angry—he had every right to be—but once we were alone he cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs gliding along my jaw.