The door swung open at her knock. “Hello?” Layla stepped cautiously inside and gasped.

The place had been ransacked. She didn’t think there was a piece of furniture that hadn’t been smashed. There was glass everywhere on the floor; it crunched under her boots as she looked around.

“Fern?” Layla was almost afraid to find Fern, wondering what state she’d be in. No one answered. Perhaps Fern was unconscious? Layla didn’t want to think about the possibility of her being dead. Maybe she had escaped, but Layla had to check just in case.

She carefully lifted pieces of rubble, searching as thoroughly as she could. Some pieces were too heavy for her to lift. She lay down on her stomach to look under these. If Fern was here, she’d find her.

It took nearly an hour before Layla was sure Fern wasn’t there. She didn’t know whether she wanted to scream or cry. At least she hadn’t found Fern’s dead body, but now they’d have to track her down all over again. Sophie might not have that long.

She went back to a small room that had dozens of glass vials. Many were smashed, but quite a few had survived. Perhaps one of them was the cure for Sanmortem? It was worth a try. Layla grabbed every whole vial she could find and stuffed them into her pockets.

Taking one last look at the trashed house, Layla left. No one was near, and she was glad. She didn’t need to be questioned. Now she just needed to get back to Hunter and tell him what had happened. She hoped he had a plan, because she didn’t know what they were supposed to do next.

By the time she got back to the market, it had quieted down a lot. Layla wished there was still a rush for buying fish. She felt self-conscious without the thick crowd to hide her. Had anyone seen her coming down the deserted road from Fern’s house? She quickened her pace.

The safe house was in view when someone grabbed her arm. Layla jumped violently and tried to jerk away.

“It’s me, don’t make a scene,” Hunter whispered. Layla went limp with relief and allowed him to steer her forcefully back to the safe house.

She braced herself.

“What were you thinking, Layla!”

“You know, Hunter, I’m getting really sick of you shouting at me. I know you were worried, but I’m doing the best I can to save Sophie here, and I’m tired of you giving me grief about it.”

Hunter was momentarily stunned into silence, and Layla took full advantage.

“I found Fern or at least where she was. The house was destroyed. She wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened, but I took some bottles. Maybe one of them is the cure?”

“Show me.” Layla could tell he had more to say on the subject of her running off, but he seemed to decide now wasn’t the time.

Hunter critically examined each of the bottles, holding them up to the light and shaking some slightly.

“No.” His shoulders slumped as he put down the last one. “None of these is the cure.”

“Are you sure? I mean, you’re not a healer, maybe you’re wrong…” Layla trailed off hopefully.

“I’m sure. I’ve seen the Sanmortem cure before. It’s a thick, dark purple liquid that throws off sparkles of light when shaken.”

Layla raked her gaze over the bottles. Only two of them contained something purple, and in the first one, it was pale, almost lilac. In the second, it was water thin and definitely didn’t sparkle when she shook it.

“Perhaps she made it a different way?”

“No.” It was Claw who spoke this time. “There is only one way to make a Sanmortem cure. Besides, even if we suspected one of these was the cure, we couldn’t give it to Sophie without being sure. That would more likely kill her than not. We’d still have to track down Fern to check.”

Layla realized he was right. “What are we going to do?”

“I’ll go examine the house. Maybe I can pick up a scent, find out what happened. Hunter?”

“I’ll stay here,” Hunter said, his eyes fixed on Layla. She knew he didn’t trust her not to run off again. Not like he could stop her; she’d proven that already.

“I’ll be as quick as I can.”

Claw left without asking her anything.

“How does he know where it is?” Layla asked.

“He’ll track your scent. He’s spent enough time with you that he knows your scent well, even hidden under mine. Claw’s an excellent tracker, better than I am. If there’s anything to be found, he’ll find it.”

“What do you think happened?”

Hunter sighed and leaned back against the wall. “It could be many people, some worse than others. The underworld is very divided in its opinions on healers. Those who stray too close to magic are very controversial, to say the least.”

Layla didn’t want to speculate about the worst possible people who could have Fern, so she dug through Hunter’s pack for something to eat, even though she wasn’t hungry.

“Layla, can we talk?”

“No,” she said shortly. “We need to focus on finding Sophie.”

Hunter disregarded this. Clearly, he’d waited as long as he was going to. “I’m not wrong about you. I’d stake my life on it. You have to believe me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Jewel, but that changes nothing between us. I love you.”

“I love you too, Hunter, but how can you say this doesn’t change anything? How can you be so sure? You made a mistake before, and you could be making one with me. I know you don’t believe you are, but you have to admit, it’s possible.”

“It’s not,” Hunter said flatly. “But Layla, that’s beside the point.”

“Beside the point? How is that beside the point?”

“Listen, say we were just an ordinary couple, two humans. Then neither of us would know for sure that we’d be together forever. There would be no true mate bond. That doesn’t stop humans falling in love, though. Even if you’re not sure it’ll work out, that doesn’t mean you need to be alone. That’s how most witches get into relationships. They’re not sure if it’ll be forever, but if they’re in love and happy, they stick with it.”

That was actually a really good point. “I guess I was just so sure of us, and I’m not anymore.”

“I’ll find a way to convince you,” Hunter promised. “Just give me a chance.”

Layla wasn’t so sure. Who was she, really, to think she deserved Hunter? She was no one. She didn’t even know what he loved about her. Of course, he’d realize eventually and leave, just like he did with Jewel.

Some part of her knew this was just her insecurities talking, but she couldn’t get them to quiet down like she’d been able to in the recent past.

Perhaps Hunter realized this, because he opened his mouth to say something else. Before he could, Claw came in, looking grim.

“What?” Layla demanded, more sharply than she’d intended.

“I know who took Fern. It was the royal guard.”

From the look on Hunter’s face, Layla could tell this was the worst possible outcome.

“Is she still alive?” Hunter asked.

“She was when they took her, so she probably still is, or they would have killed her rather than drag her off. Not that it makes much difference.”

“Of course it makes a difference!” Layla burst out. “If she’s alive, she can still help us.”

“No, she can’t,” Hunter groaned. “If they took her, she’ll be in the royal dungeons. Layla, the royal dungeons are more secure than the White House. There have been many attempts to break into them over the years. Not one has succeeded. Not a single one.”

“Have any of those attempts involved a witch?”

“Any witch who tried to do it would have to be on a suicide mission,” Claw said sharply. “Dangerous enough coming to the underworld. Going to the palace and trying to break out a prisoner? Layla, you’d be killed.”

Layla rolled her eyes. Usually, being told she’d be killed would have more of an effect on her, but that was all she’d been hearing since she got here, and the effect was starting to wear off.

“Layla, listen to me.” Hunter took her hands and waited until she was looking at him. “You can’t run off alone and try to break Fern out. You will be killed. It’s not a possibility like all the other dangerous things you’ve done. It’s a certainty. I know you want to help Sophie, but you can’t help her if you’re dead.

“We’ll make a plan and go through with it together. You can’t go off on your own. What would I say to Sophie if I returned without you? Do you think she wants the cure at the expense of your life? Promise me you won’t do it.”

Layla knew he was being sincere. She could feel the honesty coming from him. “If we can make another plan to save Sophie, I promise I won’t try to breach the dungeons on my own.”

Hunter wasn’t happy, but he knew that was the best promise he was going to get. “If you decide the plan won’t work, just tell me; don’t disappear, ok?”

“I always tell you, and you ignore me. At least since we’ve been here.”

“Ok, maybe that’s true. I promise I won’t ignore you the next time, ok? Just don’t run to your death, I can’t stand it.”

“Fine.”

Hunter nodded and glanced at Claw. “We should get out of here.”

“My thoughts exactly. Fern’s kidnapping would be only the beginning. They’ll be back to find out who knew about her and arrest them too.”

“Why would Swift bother arresting her?” Hunter asked. “From everything I’ve heard about him, I’d have thought he’d kill her at once.”

“I don’t know, and that worries me. You’re right; it would be more his style just to have her killed. He must want something from her. Whatever it is, she won’t be able to keep it from him for long, and then he will kill her. Fern is the walking dead.”

“Then how will we get the cure for Sophie?”

Hunter and Claw exchanged a hopeless look. “We have the option of finding some way to get to Fern or finding another healer. The second will probably be as hard as the first. Healers keep very low profiles. Fern was hard enough to find, and you already knew about her. Trying to track down a healer who can make a Sanmortem cure without even knowing who they are or if they exist? Breaking into the dungeons might be easier.”

“I don’t get it,” Layla moaned. “Isn’t Sanmortem a common disease down here? How can a cure possibly be so hard to find?”

“Demons seldom need healers,” Hunter explained. “Probably a good thing, since healers aren’t tolerated very well. Those illnesses we do get are usually minor, like Sanmortem, and require nothing more than rest. It’s only dangerous to witches and humans, and since there are hardly ever witches and humans down here, the cure hasn’t exactly been in demand.”

Claw was staring out of the window, looking anxious to get moving. “We should go. Come on.”

Hunter grabbed his pack. Layla followed him and Claw out.

“It’s late, but we should be able to make it to a creek I know by dark,” Claw called over his shoulder. “It’s not protected, but it’s isolated, so we shouldn’t be bothered by anyone.”

Layla trudged on behind them, feeling defeated. They had no plan, and their only two options seemed near impossible. No matter what they chose, it would take more time, time they probably didn’t have.

Layla felt like a failure. She’d come here to ensure that they got the antidote for Sophie, and they were no closer to getting it than they had been when they first came through the portal. She was mentally and physically exhausted. When she started lagging, she let Hunter carry her, unable to summon the energy for anything other than lying limply in his arms.

“We’ll find the cure, I promise,” he whispered.

“I know,” Layla said dully. “The question is, will we find it in time?”

Hunter had no answer for this. They walked until the sun was setting. Layla could hear the bubbling of the creek. At any other time, it would have been a pleasant sound, but she didn’t think anything could cheer her up right now. Other than miraculously finding the Sanmortem cure on the road in front of them, but somehow, she doubted that would happen.

“Is there any chance of catching up to them before they get her to the dungeon? Hunter asked Claw, only slightly out of breath despite carrying Layla and keeping up a crushing pace.

“No,” Claw replied at once. “They took her at least five days ago. They’ll be there by now.”

“Five days? Why didn’t anyone notice?” By the state of the house, it was quite clear to Layla that anyone who tried to call on Fern would immediately deduce something had happened to her.

“Maybe they did,” Hunter said. “If so, they’re probably half way across the underworld by now, scared of being next, and they have good reason.”

Layla wondered if there was any chance of getting a human doctor to try to extend Sophie’s life long enough for them to come back with the cure. She knew they’d discussed it and discarded it before she and Hunter had left, but they’d been gone a long time.

Maybe Damaris would decide to get a doctor involved. They’d better bring back extra of the cure just in case, as any doctor treating Sophie would surely also get infected. Or perhaps they’d try a spell on her. Phoenix and Fisher weren’t going to let any of the coven near Sophie, but if Sophie’s condition got dire enough, they might not have a choice. Layla could do a good blocking spell, but she had nothing on Rose.

Or maybe they’d wait. After all, Layla had assured them she’d be back with the cure in time to save Sophie. They were relying on her, and she was letting them all down.

Finally, they reached the creek. Hunter set her down on her feet. Layla swayed.

“We still need a plan,” she said. “I say we rescue Fern. We don’t even know if there is another healer around. She’s our best chance.”

“We shouldn’t decide yet,” Claw told her. “Tomorrow, we’ll reach a hideout of the rebellion. There are a number of people who know the palace better than I do. We’ll ask their advice and decide from there. You agree?”

As much as she wanted immediate action, Layla did agree. They certainly needed help at this point, and she was willing to take it from anywhere she could get it.

Hunter tried to take her hand, but she moved away, lying down on the hard ground.

“Layla, don’t you want some supper?”

“I’m not hungry,” she replied without looking at him. She heard Claw engaging Hunter in quiet conversation, probably asking what was wrong between the two of them. Layla tried to block out the conversation and thought of Sophie, of saving her.