Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Isucked in a gasping breath and slumped over onto the grass in Rowan’s front yard. Evie’s way of travel was not as smooth as Cernunnos’s. Hers felt like someone had sucked out my soul with a Wet Vac.
She knelt beside me, her cool fingertips brushing my forehead. “Sorry,” she murmured. A touch of her magic swirled into my skin, relieving the nausea and vertigo the travel caused. “Still getting used to taking people with me.”
Cernunnos appeared a few seconds later, hauling Ari and Ben with him. He was chuckling to himself when he spotted Evie.
“About time,” he murmured, approval brimming in his voice.
Evie was still annoyed with him. “I didn’t do it for you.”
“I’d rather you do it for you,” he said.
Ari spoke up. “You’re just going to leave him to it?”
I sent a message to Ethan skimming over the sordid details of what just happened.
Evie rolled her eyes. “Of course I won’t.
Provided Soren gets his people inside the main Keep house, he should be safe.
I have the ability to ward anywhere I wish.
I figure he has about five minutes to get his people to safety.
I’ll snap the ward over the house, and the spell should roll harmlessly over the top. ”
I sank against Evie’s dad. “Thank fuck.”
Evie laughed. “I’m not a total monster.”
Ari was staring at Evie like she’d grown horns. “And if he doesn’t get them inside?”
“I can only do so much,” Evie responded. “I’m tired of Soren’s shit. If he isn’t smart and motivated enough to at least try to get himself and his people out of harm’s way, then maybe he deserves to die.”
Ben started to laugh, the sound a deep rumble within his chest. He wiped a hand over his face. “Things have been quiet for so long I’d forgotten what it was like to work with you all.”
Ari’s face was pale, and her eyes were wide. “You guys are ruthless.”
“You would be too if you had to work with the Lords all the time,” Evie said dryly.
Rowan came outside. He was handsome—all the Lords were, but I found Rowan to be stunning.
Mostly because of how much he loved Evie.
He was shorter than Soren, but still taller than Evie.
Devilish hazel eyes that brimmed with warmth every time he looked at his wife widened slightly when he spotted all of us.
His lips twitched when he spotted Ben and Ari. “Dare I ask what happened?”
“Evie scared the shit out of Soren,” I said cheerily.
“He thinks he’s about to die,” added Ben.
Ari said nothing.
“He’s not going to die,” Evie said with exasperation.
“If he figures out what he needs to do,” Ari added, then let out a hysterical giggle.
Evie shrugged. “Pretty much.”
Rowan gently dragged Evie against his chest and kissed the top of her head. His hands wrapped around her waist. “Think he’ll figure it out?”
“Fifty-fifty,” I said.
Rowan only nodded. I loved that about the guy. Not much riled him up. When it came to Evie, he supported every decision she made, even when it was insane. He’d question her if he thought she might be going the wrong way, but ultimately, he left things up to her.
I’d give my left tit for a guy like that.
“Did you tell Ethan?”
My phone rang.
I winced.
“You texted him?” Rowan asked, his eyes dancing with mirth.
“If I make him mad enough, he’ll blow through the stash of travel potions I left.”
Evie grinned. “And then he can’t pop in and blow up at you in person.”
I pointed finger guns at her. “Exactamundo.”
A pop of air revealed Ethan, chest heaving with fury.
“Are you KIDDING me?” he roared.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Are you aware you wasted a potion to yell at me for leaving Soren to die when you could have used one to go help him?”
He blinked. His eyes widened in horror. Rowan and Ben were obviously losing the battle not to laugh their asses off.
Evie opened her mouth, probably to tell him she had it under control, but at the almost imperceptible shake of my head, she pressed her lips together and looked at the ground.
He patted his chest pocket, swore viciously under his breath, then patted his pants pocket to reveal another potion. His teeth tore the lid off and he downed the other one.
“This is NOT over!” he yelled just before he disappeared.
Ben let out a hoot of laughter.
“How many does he have left?” Evie asked.
I tilted my head and squinted at the sky as I counted backward. “Four, I think. He only brought two with him today, so I have some time before he finds his way back here.”
“You sure you want to keep pissing Ethan off?” Rowan asked, amusement in his eyes.
I lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug. “It’s fun to rattle him. He’ll be alright.”
Ari slowly shook her head. “You are all insane.”
“Yeah,” I said with a heavy exhale. “I guess I should have warned you.”
Her eyes warmed. “No. It’s wonderful. I’m just taken by surprise, that’s all. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a close-knit clan.”
I eyed Ben. “Not all of us are. But we all know each other, and everyone is used to Evie’s shenanigans.”
Evie let out an affronted noise. “Shenanigans you were involved in, too!”
“Yes, well, you went and got married, so now you should be shenanigan free.”
Rowan barked a laugh at that one. “I can assure you, she is far from that.”
“Ari, once Ethan cools down, I’ll take you to see my mother. If she has what you’re seeking, you should know, right?”
Ari nodded. “Yes. The item will call to me.”
“I’ll wait a day or so before contacting him. Mom’s in a lead-lined cell, so she shouldn’t be going anywhere any time soon.”
Evie’s brows went up, but she didn’t prod. I loved that about her, too, even as guilt hit me. She deserved to know about my childhood, the things I’d done to survive, and yet, I kept shutting her out.
I promised myself I’d talk to her. Soon.
Ari touched her hand to her heart, nodded to everyone, and disappeared in a swirl of silver.
“May I ask why you’re hanging out with the town jeweler?” Rowan said in his patient drawl.
I wouldn’t say anything with Ben here. “I was at her shop when Soren called. She offered to drop everything and haul me over there.”
“Ah. Lucky she was there,” was all Rowan said, though I knew he’d be asking more questions later.
“Very,” I agreed.
“Ben, are you ready to go home?” Cernunnos rolled his eyes at me when I glanced his way. “One more taxi fare won’t kill you,” I said sweetly.
The large shifter grunted and stared up at the sky. “I got time for a beer if you do,” he said to Rowan.
“Always time for a beer,” he agreed. He jerked his head toward the main house, and Ben followed.
With me, Evie, and Cernunnos left, Evie sank to the ground and sighed. She stuck her fingers in the dirt. Magic rose around us, tingling against my skin. The smell of jasmine and honeysuckle filled the air, a scent I always identified with Evie’s power.
Her eyes turned colorful, and flowers popped into existence in a circle around her. Alright. That one was new, too. Flowers weren’t uncommon around here, but they normally didn’t rise when she wasn’t working powerful magic.
My eyes narrowed. Cernunnos shook his head once, seemingly warning me not to say anything.
When Evie’s eyes cleared and she’d withdrawn her magic, she sighed and yawned. “The wards are up. I counted over a hundred bodies inside the Keep house.”
“Looks like the idiot got his shit together.” Relief filled me. While I didn’t think Evie was wrong, I was surprised she’d let it go this far. Would she have let Soren die if he hadn’t made the decision to get his people inside?
All signs pointed to yes.
That made something uncomfortable twist inside me. If Evie had been willing to let a Shifter Lord, someone she didn’t hate, go to his death, why couldn’t I kill someone who’d been unbearably cruel to me for my entire childhood? Was I that weak?
“Will you continue to allow him to share your land?” Cernunnos asked.
“I hate to kick him out. The poor bastard needed a break.”
“There are no women over there,” I said and laughed out loud when I thought how much Soren’s poor peter must be suffering from the lack.
“There’s an entire coven of witches if he’s really willing to risk it all,” Evie said with a grin.
I groaned. “Don’t tempt him. He’s just horny enough to try.”
Cernunnos shook his head. “Penises have been responsible for most of this world’s trouble since the dawn of time. You’d think they’d eventually realize it.”
“Ha!” Evie crowed. “If anything, they’ve gotten worse!”
Couldn’t disagree. We were a world ruled by sex in a way. Just look at the billions poured into the sex industry. The humans were just as bad, if not worse. “Sad state of affairs,” I agreed. “One day I hope we’ll see some women in power.”
“Wouldn’t that be something?” Evie mused.
“You are in power, dummy.”
Evie zapped me with a vine she sent snapping out of the ground. “You’re not allowed to call your queen a dummy.”
“Yes, well, she is sometimes.” We grinned at each other.
“I’d love to see a Shifter Lady in power.” Evie sighed. “I would have suggested it if Soren crumbled into dust.”
“I’d like to see it, too.” I toyed with the soft grass. “Where’s the spell at?”
Evie lay flat on her back. “Back to the witches. They’ll try again. I’m sure of it.”
I rolled over closer to her and took her hand. “Evie?”
She closed her eyes. “Hmmm?”
“Are you okay?”
A serene smile played upon her lips. “I’m perfect, Moira.”
For once, I actually believed her.