A Witch in Time

brightened. “That means the dagger is here!”
“And Townsend is also the first son of the two Alphas, about to ascend himself.” Cross added. “We could potentially be able to recreate what happened at Lucas’s ceremony.”
“But how can we be sure?” Elise asked. “It’s not like we intended to come here in the first place.”
“I’d like to believe we were brought here for a reason,” Cross said. “The dagger and another child of two Alphas are right here, where we are now. It can’t be a coincidence that we were brought here. With the dagger, Reed Townsend’s blood, and Elise’s power, we have a way home.”
She didn’t want to say aloud what they were all probably thinking: that it might not work. But then again, what else could they lose? “I suppose … we should give it a shot.”
“Great!” Julianna looked much more positive about the whole thing than Elise felt. “So, how do we get close to that dagger?”
Cross stood up. “I need to gather intel.”
“We can help,” Julianna offered.
He shook his head. “It will be easier if I go alone for now.”
“But—”
“At least for now. We don’t know what to expect out there.” he said. “I’ve taken precautions and put protection spells around this house. But, don’t try to leave until I’ve come back.”
“Where are you going?” Elise asked.
“I have to learn more about Reed Townsend.”
“And how do you plan to do that?”
“I’ve picked up a few tricks here and there,” he said cryptically. “I’ll be back in the morning.”
And once again, he disappeared.
Elise stared at the empty spot where Cross had been, wondering where he had gone to. A heavy silence crept over them.
“We’ll be home in no time. Right?” But Julianna sounded like she had lost some of the confidence she had earlier.
“Of course.” Elise slipped into her sleeping bag. This had to work. Otherwise, she didn’t know what else to do.
Dawn was breaking by the time Elise was awakened by the heavy footsteps walking across the wooden floor. Her wolf didn’t sense any danger, which meant it knew who was in the house with them. She sat up immediately. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked up at the tall figure by the fireplace.
“It’s me,” came the reply.
Cross.
Her vision came into focus in the darkened room, and she sighed in relief. “What did you find out?”
“And what are you wearing?” Julianna’s sleep-rasped voice piped up from the sleeping bag beside her.
Cross grinned. “I had to blend in while I gathered intel.” Dressed in skin-tight pants, boots, and a loose white shirt, he looked more like a pirate than a Viking.
“You wouldn’t have happened to gather some coffee, did you?” Julianna sat up and brushed her hair back with her fingers.
With a wave of his hand, two mugs of steaming hot coffee appeared on the floor next to the sleeping bags. “My father insisted that coffee was the first thing I learn to make, after water.”
“Oh. My. God.” Julianna’s eyes widened as she took in a whiff of the rich aroma. “You can make coffee?” She took a sip of the liquid and let out a sigh. “Marry me, Cross. Right now.”
Elise chuckled and to her surprise, Cross actually blushed. “Thank you, Cross,” she said as she took sip from her own cup. “What did you find out?”
He sat down cross-legged next to them. “As I suspected, Reed Townsend is about to ascend to Alpha sometime soon, possibly in the next week or two. His parents passed away over six months ago in an accident.”
She didn’t know why, but she felt a pang of sympathy for this Reed Townsend, despite never having met him. But she supposed anyone would be devastated if they lost both their parents suddenly.
“The Lycan High Council has approved his ascension,” he continued. “They’re ironing out some details, but as soon as they arrive, they’ll proceed with the ceremony which could be any day now.”
“How did you find this all out?” Julianna asked.
“I located his home,” Cross explained. “It was surprisingly easy, given that he’s also the duke of Huntington. I just asked around, and some people directed me to where he lived. I waited until everyone was asleep, then I went inside and read through his mail. It took a while, but that’s what I was able to piece together, based on his correspondences with the Lycan High Council.”
“Good job,” Julianna said. “Did you find the dagger?”
He shook his head. “There was no time to search the entire house. I went to the office first, since I guessed that’s where his most important papers and items might be, but no sign of the dagger.”
“It might be in another home, especially if it’s an heirloom.” Elise said. “I mean, if he’s a duke, he probably has several estates all over the country. You might have to check them all.”
“How do you know that?” Julianna asked.
“Er, I mean … I do read books.” She felt her cheeks go hot. “Jane Austen and uh, some of those romance novels Aunt Jade used to lend me.”
She thought Julianna would mock her, but instead, the other woman clapped her hands together. “Great! Maybe you can figure out what clothes are appropriate for me to wear.”
“Clothes?” she asked. “Why?”
“Julianna,” Cross began. “You should leave things—”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Cross!” Julianna got to her feet and placed her hands on her hips. “If you think I’m going to stand around and do nothing, you’re mistaken.”
“But Julianna, it can be dangerous out there for you two.”
“Is it because I’m a girl?” Her voice raised by a decibel and a dark brow lifted. “Cross, I’m going to go crazy if I have to stay here another day. Besides, I’ve been a member of the Lycan Security Force for years. I can certainly protect myself, and I know how to lead investigations. With you and me searching together, we can cover more ground.”
“It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable.” Cross shook his head. “I’m already taking a risk