Phoenix slowed to a stop as the smell of sage teased her. Yvonne sent a worried looked her way, but kept the memory of André beating Alpha Scott when he tried to claim her at seventeen playing. The smell grew stronger. Phoenix smiled and began playing her own memory of the last minute of the fight Yvonne had won against Scott when she was eighteen. Yvonne watched wide eyed. "You're as strong as any wolf I know. And so brave." Phoenix turned to her. "You're going to need that bravery now."
"Why?"
"We can't leave together, that will put it into attack mode. And I'm not enough alone. I have to leave first and help with the last step of the spell. You'll wait for me here. Play your memories. But watch for me. I'll be back with Eevi. And when you see us you take both our hands. And hold on tighter then tight. You can do that? Right?"
"Yes."
"I will be back for you."
"I know."
"Good." And with that she let go of Yvonne's hand while tighten her left hand into a fist, pulled it tight against her chest, before shooting it out and grabbing the air in front of her. A blue ribbon appeared in her hand and she was pulled away. Yvonne shook off the feeling of panic as she disappeared and started one of her favorite memories. "Hurry back, Phoenix. Patience is never a virtue I claimed to have. Not that I have much of a choice right now," she acknowledged with a sigh.
***
André stared at Phoenix's peaceful face. Feeling the tension rise as the smoke thickened.
"Come on Phoenix." Eevi murmured again.
He was afraid to look away.
From one blink to the next her eyes were open. Taking in the room before she shot to a sitting position.
"Phoenix." The relief he felt made him put a hand against the wall to stabilize himself.
"André." She grinned even as she began pulling items from the table. "Eevi, sage alone isn't going to do it. It's the absolute worst type."
"Palo Santo it is then." Eevi thrust the sage in to a jar of sand and picking up a barkless one inch wide twig, tilted it to a forty five degree angle to the flame, lighting it. She watched it burn for another long ten seconds before shaking it out and placing it in the abalone shell.
Phoenix placed a smooth smoky grey crystal between Yvonne's eyes.
Eevi once more started from her head and waved the smoke over her with the brown feather downwards.
Phoenix turned to them. André blinked. He had never seen her so serious. There wasn't even a hint of a smile. "Are you ready to help?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his.
"Yes." They both said as one.
"We both have to go back for her," she said, taking a blue ribbon like the one that connected her and Yvonne and tied it around Yvonne's other wrist and then Eevi's.
"No." They again jinxed each other.
Phoenix sent them a glare that made them both look away. "Yes. There's no other choice. The spells been locked and we are as tied together magically as with these ribbons. More so. It's one for all, now. If you lose one you lose all. Now are you ready to hear how you can help?"
"Yes."
"This is where the magic of touch comes in, oh, so handy. When we both jump in, we will no longer have a tie here. This spell cannot be done if at least one of the guides doesn't have a loved one, who's not part of the spell, here for this step. When Eevi's went in after her mother and I played her part. The Alpha Rogue was my link to the real world. When I went after him. Eevi became my connection. That's what you'll be for us, André. We need you to be our roots. We need you to tether us to reality. It's not going to be easy."
"No." Eevi walked over with the last two shot glasses. Each with about an inch of liquid in them and handed one to Phoenix. "We are going to be very hard to hold. Do not worry if you bruise us. In fact I recommended that you have your claws out and ready. A few scars is better than never coming back."
"Phoenix?"
"You can't let me jerk away from you. You will be what we are fighting to return to. If we lose you as our nexus, we will be lost."
"I won't let go." André said with a convection he felt to his very soul.
"Even if you bruise me badly and have to make me bleed, my honorable mate?"
"I hate the very thought. But I won't let go."
She smiled. "I know."
Eevi tilted her head at Luc. "I suppose I should know your name, Mate?" Phoenix's eye widened.
"Luc." He smiled softly at her.
She smiled back. "Hello, Luc. Same question."
"I will never let you go." They all heard the vow.
Phoenix drew in a happy breath. "We have two anchors. Oh, thank the Goddess. And you have a mate, Eevi!"
"Yes." She waved that away. "We are going to stand with our backs to you. Each of us will clasp one of her hands with our non-dominant one. After we take this shot we will have just long enough to arm ourselves," she nodded to the two wooden swords on the bed, "and say 'now'. Before we fall. You need to grab us by both our upper arms, half way between elbow and shoulder. And keep us standing. We'll be calm just long enough that you won't be expecting the first spasm."
"They will come fast and furious, with periods of quiet. A vicious cycle!" Phoenix warned.
"I've been in your shoes. Trust me about the claws. Have them out. If you don't use them, wonderful. But if you need them, they're there. And we understand and accept that."
"I've been held twice, André. I heal, I promise. Coming back to you is all that matters."
Tightening his jaw, he nodded.
Eevi moved back to the opposite side of the bed and placed the abalone shell with the Palo Santo on Yvonne's breast bone and took the hand with the blue ribbon connected to her. Luc lined up behind her, his eyes hard with determination.
Eevi looked around. "Can you call back the other male and tell him to watch Yvonne. He needs to be ready to take the shell from her chest and the stone from between her eyes when she wakes. Tell him to smother the Palo Santo next to the sage and put the stone in that little box. Then close and lock it. Keep the windows open."
André relayed the instructions to Theo and was reassured that Tom was with his family.
"He's been told and is on his way." He gave her a nod before looking back at Phoenix.
Eevi almost smiled.
"Did you notice the part where I said without you we couldn't have done this?" Phoenix stared deep into André's eyes.
"Where you said you needed a loved one?"
She grinned. "See you when I get back." And she spun to grab Yvonne's hand. "Ready Eevi?'
"Of course, Little One." They clinked the shot glasses together, downed the liquid, flinging them away as they grabbed the wooden swords, breathed "now", and started to fall.
André caught her and pulled her against his chest. He hands firm around her upper arms. His claws out, but not touching her. He leaned down and breathed in her wonderful scent. "I've got you." He looked up at Luc who was doing much the same.
They shared a strained smile before giving the women in their arms their complete attention.