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stand up but the ceiling had lowered. The chanting started, and the smoke was so thick I couldn’t breathe. How was I going to get out? Where was everyone?
    “Casey!” Toby screamed my name.
    I opened my eyes. Had I been sleeping again?
    “Are you okay?” Toby pulled me into his arms. “Were you having a nightmare?”
    “It was so real.” I shivered. “I was back in the cave.”
    Toby rubbed his hands up and down my arms. “I’m worried about you.”
    “It was just a dream.” I tried to sound strong when I felt anything but. I was fine when I was awake, but then I got hit by such exhaustion that I had to lie down, and the dreams started up right away again. Each time I woke up feeling awful.
    “I don’t like this.” He pulled me tighter against him.
    “Me either.”
    “I need to know everything, Casey. I need to know what they did to you.”
    “I don’t know. I don’t remember anything beyond the smoke and chanting.”
    “You’re holding something back.” He took my hands in his. “I know it.”
    “I’m having crazy dreams. They’re nothing like the ones I usually have.”
    “How so?” He watched me intently.
    “I can’t describe it. It just feels like I’m having someone else’s dream. Does that make sense?”
    “They did something to your head. You heard Georgina…”
    “I know.” She sighed. “We probably should have told her.”
    “You didn’t want to yet. And I get that, but we need answers.”
    “I know…” I leaned back against the pillows.
    “Maybe Vera knows more?”
    “She’d probably know more than we do.”
    “She still hasn’t called.” I tried not to get worried, but I couldn’t help it. I’d just found her, and I needed more than the few moments we’d shared.
    “She probably doesn’t have her phone.” Toby didn’t sound so convincing.
    “And Jared? He should have service by now.” We needed to find both of them. There was no way I was going to accept that either were gone. Jared had risked his life to save me, and Vera had too. What if the bears found out what she’d done?
    “We just have to wait for them, but that doesn’t mean we can’t ask someone else for help while we wait.” Toby gently ran his hand up and down my arm. “Your mom.”
    His suggestion didn’t surprise me, but that didn’t mean I was ready for it. “What do I say? What can I say?”
    “She might be able to help. She’d at least be able to get some answers.”
    I nodded. “I know you’re right.”
    “When you’re ready to call her, let me know.”
    I snuggled deeper against his chest, already feeling more like myself again. “Hopefully she’ll pick up this time. She hasn’t answered my calls at all. I’ve never gone this long without talking to her.”
    “Try then.” He handed me my phone. I was surprised it had made it back in all the craziness. “The worst that happens is she doesn’t pick up, right?”
    “Right.” I braced myself before hitting call. The call went right to voicemail. I ended the call. “Nothing.”
    Toby looked at me nervously.
    “What are you thinking?”
    “Should I have someone go out to your house and check on her? See if she’s there?”
    “Where else would she be?” I didn’t want to think about those possibilities. None of this made sense. My mom rarely traveled anywhere, and she definitely never did without telling me first.
    “Considering everything, would you be that surprised if she wasn’t home?’
    “No.” I sat up. “That’s probably a good idea.” I stretched, determined to push away the exhaustion this time. I hoped the magic would wear off on its own, but I knew deep inside it wasn’t going anywhere. Everything felt off.
    “Your color is back.” Toby smiled.
    “Yeah, maybe I just needed lots of sleep.” I wasn’t going to worry him anymore than he already was.
    “I’m still worried. If we can’t track down your mom on our own, we do have another option.” He stood up from his place kneeling on the