+15 bBONUS /b

    bChapter 160 /b

    After the healer left, I stepped closer to Alice, determined to be close if she should need me, even as she drifted to sleep.

    As Alice dozed, I quickly and lightly exined the situation to Amber. She needed to be alert in case

    Olivia was still lurking nearby.

    I still couldn’t believe she would go this far. Chase wasn’t the most reliable source, after all. But, bat /bthe same time, I knew it was true.

    There had always been something a little bit off about Olivia, a bit edgy. She never liked Amber, and then she’d been interested in Alice’s ne since she saw it. The fact that she had seemed to disappear was another point against her.

    Amber nodded as I spoke, unquestioning. She believed this too then.

    When I was finished exining, Amber looked absolutely exhausted. “Why don’t you take a break,” I told her. “Go get some coffee or a nap. I will stay here and watch Alice.”

    b“/bI’m afraid to leave her.”

    “I’m not going anywhere,” I said. “You need your strength. Take a break.”

    Amber’s POV

    I wasn’t keen on leaving Alice behind but Julian had proved himself to be firmly on our side by so fiercely defending us from Chase.

    I was feeling a little strung out, the adrenaline cooling now. I didn’t want to sleep in case I was needed, bbut /bsome coffee would help.

    “Watch her, please,” I said. “I am just going to go get some coffee and be right back.”

    “I won’t take my eyes off of her,” Julian promised.

    With that assurance, I gave Alice onest sad look before walking out of the room. The moment I closed the door behind me, the tears started.

    It was so difficult to see bmy /blittle girl like this. After finding that ne, I had let myself believe the worst was behind me, but now? It was just as bad as before.

    Every time she shifted, she was tortured. Godsb, /bI would give anything to keep my little girl from experiencing so much pain.

    b“/bbAmber/bb?/bb” /bAnna asked. I turned away as she came up the hallwayb, /bnot wanting her bto /bsee my btears/b, especially when I realized she wasn’t alone. Ca was with het.

    b1/2 /b

    b“/bI just need a minute,” I told them both. “Please. Then I’ll be able to talk.”

    b“/bYou don’t have to talk, Healer Amber,” Ca said. “We just want to give you something.”

    b“/bbI /bdon’t need anything,” I started.

    “Amber,” Anna said patiently. “Look.b” /b

    At Anna’s insistence, I looked up, and my breath caught in my throat.

    There, in front of me in the hallway, Anna and Ca were standing side by side, with Anna holding out a chain neb, /bplete with a pendant.

    It was Alice’s.

    b“/bHow can this be?” I asked, moving closer. I lifted my hand and touched the delicate chain.

    “When Ca and I went to collect your luggage from the concourse,” Anna said, “We tried to find all the pieces to the ne too.”

    “We got most of them,” Ca said. “Some were beyond repair, but I fixed as much as I could.”

    “Ca makes jewelry,” Anna said. “Remember when we saw her at the craft fairb?/bb” /b

    “I did my best to repair this…” Ca gave me a sad sort of smile. “It’s not exactly like it was, but…” She hung her head a little. “I’m not a mystic. I wish I could repair the magic…”

    Touching the cool medal, I can feel that most of the magic had gone from the ne, but some still remained. Maybe it would be enough. At the very least, it was better than nothing.

    “Thank you,” I told them both, meaning it with all of my heart.

    bCa /bsmiled a little wider.

    “Alice deserves better than what happened today,” Anna said.

    bI /bagreed. She deserved a cure. It was past time we found her one.

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