Rem shook her head, trying, and failing, to speak once more.
Then Nia’s eyes widened with victory, and she shouted, “Your brother!”
It was as if a slight electric current zapped its way through Rem, releasing endless rivers of relief, and she nodded at everyone.
“What of your brother?” Tania asked.
‘Back in Warden,’ she mouthed, but hardly a sound came out.
“Wait, she mouthed Warden,” Nia said.
With eager eyes, Rem looked at Nia and slowly mouthed, ‘Brother. Is. In. Warden. Kidnapped.’
Nia watched her lips carefully and shook her head. “Not good at reading lips, apparently,” she said, looking at Tania. “But I think she said her brother is in Warden? No, that can’t be it. That makes no sense.”
Rem nodded so hard she nearly broke her neck. Ronan’s grip on her shoulder tightened, a simmering danger brewing underneath his controlled gaze; his mother now translate for him.
Tania asked, “Is your brother in Warden?”
‘Yes,’Rem said, although once again, nothing but air came out. They seemed to get the message, though.
“Is he supposed to be there?” Tania asked, looking at Nia.
Rem shook her head feverishly.
“Is he cursed, too?” The Arch asked.
Rem shook her head once again.
“Can you write this down for us?”
Rem inhaled deeply and gave a smaller shake of her head.
“You cannot, or are cursed from it—my apologies, you can’t answer that. Are you cursed from it?” —Rem shook her head—“you just don’t know how?”
With embarrassment, Rem nodded.
Tania stood up and everyone listened closely as she spoke in Icelandic, Ronan finally sliding his hand off of her shoulder to stand up straight, maintaining his calculated silence. Rem rose as well, showing that the witch wouldn’t keep her on her knees. Rem stumbled when she stood, the blood loss clearer than ever as her vision momentarily tunneled.
Ronan quickly shot out his forearm to steady her.
He moved his arm around her back, her shoulder leaning against his bare chest. If she wasn’t so overwhelmed, she’d be flooding with delight from such a gesture.
Instead, he just felt warm and safe, Rem’s head spinning.
Ronan spoke for the second time, looking at Rem, his voice vibrating through his chest and into her. Tania was quicker than Nia to the translation and echoed, “Your Alpha wants to know if there is information that we should immediately know about?”
Rem looked up at Ronan, nodding deeply, and even pointed at him. Ronan shot his gaze at Tania and gave a longwinded reply, his arm still around Rem as she continued to lean against him.
Tania faced Rem. “Well, it seems we do not have time to let Fiona think about if she wants to give us the truth. We will give her an hour, and if she fails, then she burns.”
* * *
The Elder Witchhad refused to speak.
A few hours passed since Fiona’s silence was declared, and Rem was sent to change into warmer clothes for the cold day. She also had been given plenty of food and milk to begin the replenishment of her blood loss, and even took a brief nap.
Nia helped braid Rem’s hair, although it was only the top half, pulling the braids together in a bun while the rest of her hair remained free. “I am sorry you had to go through all of this,” Nia said.
