“There they are,” he approved, staring into shiny emeralds. “I love your eyes, Layla. They sing to me.”
“They’re bloodshot.”
“They’re beautiful,” he assured, soothing her eyelids with the pad of his thumb. “You’re beautiful.”
Her pout quivered, and he quickly laid a finger over it. “Nuh-uh. That’s not something to cry about.”
“I don’t know why I can’t control myself.”
“Because you’re sad, scared, guilty and tired, and I understand why, but please don’t cry when I tell you you’re beautiful.”
“Then don’t tell me.”
He frowned and took her cheek. “You’re asking me to be someone I’m not, Layla. I know you’re hurting right now, but life doesn’t stop when times are bad. It’s worth living, always, especially when I’m looking into eyes like yours. I’m worried about this situation, but I’m not going to lie here and pretend anything with you. If I want to see your smile, I’m going to find a way to make you smile. If I want to tell you you’re beautiful and kiss your body, that’s what I’m going to do, because no matter what’s going on out there...” He pulled her hand to his chest, pressing her palm to his heart. “...I know exactly what’s going on in here. I won’t deny myself life’s pleasures just because they’re being threatened.”
She silently stared at him for several seconds, eyes wide, lips parted. Then she swallowed and flexed her fingers over his heart. “That’s good advice. I could have used it three years ago.”
“I wish I’d been there to say it.”
“Me, too, but wishing changes nothing.”
“I’m here now. That means a lot to me.”
“It means a lot to me, too, Quin. Words can’t convey how much.”
“How about a promise?” he suggested.
“A promise?” she repeated, skeptically raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “You’re right about me not being able to promise you the future, and I’m sorry I didn’t consider that before saying it. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe, which brings me to my point. I propose a new promise, one I can keep, in return for one from you.”
She remained silent, and he could tell she disapproved.
“You don’t like promises,” he concluded.
“They can be impossible to keep,” she explained.
“I guess they can,” he agreed. “Will you at least hear me out?”
Her suspicion softened as she fidgeted with his shirt. “Sure.”
He scooted closer, until they were nose to nose. Then he tucked her hair behind her ear and held her cheek. “I want you to promise me you won’t sacrifice your safety because you think someone else is in danger. And that promise includes you staying here, under our protection, until we figure out how to make you safe. I don’t want you leaving without telling anybody and attempting to hide yourself in order to save us.”
“That’s a tall order to fill,” she whispered, blinking back tears.
“I understand why,” he sympathized. “I’ve never seen anyone suffer the kind of guilt you harbor. But this situation isn’t your fault, and putting your life at risk isn’t the right thing to do. So I’m asking you not to do it.”
“This is your family, too, Quin. You must be so worried about them. How can you even look at me knowing I’m the one putting them in danger?”
“You vastly underestimate your value, Layla. Your life is precious, and the danger’s there whether you are or not.”
“My life is no more precious than anyone else in the coven, and even though the Unforgivables would come here either way, you can’t deny that me being here poses an even bigger threat. If Agro comes here demanding answers, and you guys stonewall him to save me, he could wipe out the entire family.”
“Yes, Agro’s a murdering bastard, but this family is his strongest link to you, which means he doesn’t want us dead. He’ll exhaust all options before wiping us out. Hopefully we’ll find a way to deter him before it gets to that point.”
“You’re relying on hope? You really think it’s there?”
“There’s always hope when you’re part of this family. We share an extraordinary bond, for several reasons, and fear of Agro won’t make it dwindle. Certain things always pull through when a community is faced with adversity, and our coven holds them all. Not one bone in my body feels our family is doomed to die.”
“I wish I could be as confident as you are.”
“You don’t have to be. I’ll be confident enough for both of us, but you have to make me that promise. Having you home fills the void left by your parents. We’re complete for the first time in over twenty-one years. Don’t take that away from us.”
“That’s not fair,” she squeaked.
“This situation is very unfair,” he agreed, “but our decisions will affect how unfair it gets. Sacrificing yourself would only add to the injustice, so erase the idea from your head and let us protect you.”
“It’s not like I have a choice. I’m a coward. You think I could walk into the lion’s den and serve myself for dinner? My legs would never get me there.”
“Your heart would, and I know you’re not a coward. You were born to two of the bravest people to walk this earth. Don’t undermine their sacrifice by sacrificing yourself.”
“Don’t,” she snapped. “Don’t throw their deaths in my face.”
Quin’s heart twisted, dealing him a dose of deserved pain, and he swiftly stroked her red cheek. “I’m sorry. I swear that wasn’t my intention, but they didn’t go through hell so you could defeat their purpose.”
“I know that.”
“Then why do you even consider it?”
“Because it hurts, Quin. It hurts to think about what my presence here could mean for the people I care about. It feels awful, and I don’t know how to make it stop.”
“We’ll get through this, Layla. We can’t make the hurt go away, but it’s temporary. Your death would be permanent.”
“So I’m supposed to just sit around here and hurt and hope that someday it will all go away? That’s my future?”
“Only the immediate future. When this is over, you have wonderful things waiting for you. Promise me you’ll stick around long enough to experience them.”
“Like I said,” she grumbled, “I don’t have a choice, so take your promise, whatever it’s worth. It’s not like it makes a difference.”
“It makes all the difference in the world to me,” he corrected. “Thank you.” He nuzzled her nose then gave it a kiss. “Now I’ll make you a promise. While you wait for your chance to live without the hurt, I promise I’ll do everything I can to make the pain tolerable, and I won’t stop until we figure out how to make it go away.”
“Fine,” she huffed. “You said it, now I’m counting on it, no matter how guilty it makes me feel.”
“No guilt,” he whispered, sweeping his lips across hers. “I’m doing exactly what I want to do.” He gave her a kiss then curled her into his chest. “Now sleep. It’s been a long day.”
He could tell she wanted to argue, but she was out of steam. “Fine,” she conceded, “but you have to sleep, too; I don’t want you to move.”
He smiled, tightening his hug as he buried his face in her hair. “That’s a demand I’m more than happy to meet.”
“Will you wake me before you leave for work?”
“Yes. Now sleep.”
“Mmkay,” she mumbled, muscles melting.
Quin watched her aura until the flow mellowed and the sad colors faded, and only then did he find his own peace-of-mind.
Chapter 17
TWELVE HOURS! AGRO HAD BEEN searching Idaho for more than twelve hours and hadn’t found a trace of evidence, not one sign of the witch and her power.
Learning there were thirteen households with the surname Callaway in Ada County had launched a daunting yet promising quest, but after hours of sneaking through
dark rooms, searching filing cabinets, attics, closets and photo albums, he remained empty-handed.
Now he was in the small town of Star, searching the home of his final lead—an elderly couple known to the census office as George and Nancy Callaway.
The rising sun filtered through lace curtains as Agro examined the bills on a roll-top desk, listening to a noisy lark raise hell on the other side of the window. Nothing about George and Nancy’s finances raised suspicion, so Agro moved to a bookshelf and examined the framed photos. All of them appeared to be pictures of kids, grandkids and family vacations, but none of them contained an emerald-eyed witch.
“Don’t move,” a man ordered, and a quick series of loud clicks resounded in Agro’s ears—the cocking of a pump-action shotgun.
Agro slowly raised his hands, inwardly cursing the noisy lark for obscuring the gunman’s footsteps. After tiptoeing around Ada County all night to avoid a mess, Agro had found one in the final house.
He cautiously turned, finding first the hollow barrel of a gun, then George, whose stooped posture and frail frame exposed his age. The steady grip he had on his weapon, however, told the tale of a huntsman.
“Keep your hands where I can see them,” George demanded, eyeing Agro’s cloak. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“I’m afraid not,” Agro replied, flicking a wrist.
The barrel of the gun jerked to the left, and Farriss appeared behind George, taking the crown of his head in one hand and his chin in the other. A deafening blast echoed through the room as Farriss yanked. Then glass shattered as George’s lifeless body toppled to the floor.
Agro looked at the broken window, taking pleasure in the idea that a shotgun pellet dispatched that bothersome lark. Then a scream pierced his ringing eardrums, drawing his attention to the doorway.
Wearing a long nightgown with frilly lace and periwinkle pansies, Nancy stood on the threshold, mouth gaping at her husband’s body.
“Here we go,” Agro sighed.
Nancy screamed as her brain tried to move faster than her old bones could take her. She turned, hitting the doorjamb with a bony shoulder. Then she bounced off the hallway wall and stumbled out of sight.
“The hexless are pathetic,” Agro scorned, rolling his eyes. “Put her out of her misery.”
“Yes, sir,” Farriss agreed, heading for the corridor.
Agro followed, watching from the hallway as Farriss caught up with the fleeing woman.
She screamed and threw a respectable punch for a hexless woman her age, but Farriss dodged and she tumbled over the back of a sofa. Getting to her wrinkled hands, she released a horrid sound similar to a dying cat. “Please. Take what you want, just let me go.”
“Shut her up,” Agro barked, and Farriss leapt over the couch.
“No,” Nancy blubbered, reaching for the patio door.
One of Farriss’ palms closed over her mouth as the other grasped the back of her head. Then a muffled crack silenced her sobs.
“What a mess,” Agro mumbled, running a hand down his face.
“The neighbors down the road probably heard the shot,” Farriss noted. “They’ll be calling soon.”
As if on cue, the phone rang, and both wizards looked at it.
“What would you have me do?” Farriss asked, stepping over Nancy’s body.
Agro looked over his shoulder, scanning George, the shotgun, and the shattered window. Then he flipped his gaze to Nancy’s contorted neck. “Burn it down,” he ordered, hovering toward the door. “I’m going to take two of the men and return to camp; get some rest before we head for Oregon. At this rate, it will be Wednesday night before we question the witch’s family.”
The phone stopped ringing then started again.
“That’s tomorrow,” Farriss noted.
“And tomorrow can’t come fast enough,” Agro snapped. “I’ve wanted this witch for more than two decades. Every minute that passes without her power at my disposal is a minute lost, so stop making excuses and burn this hexless shit-hole down.”
“Yes, sir,” Farriss agreed, but then he added, “Why can’t we visit the witch’s family tonight, once we arrive in Oregon?”
Agro’s nostrils flared as he looked at the textured ceiling and shook his head. “The witch wasn’t born to gutless weaklings, Farriss. I need my army alert when we question them. We won’t reach the Clatsop State Forest until midnight or later, so unless we want children guarding the camp while we grownups sleep, some of our soldiers will require a break once we reach our destination. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then get rid of this mess before someone catches you in the act.”
The phone stopped ringing, and Agro pointed at it while raising his eyebrows at Farriss.
“I’m on it,” Farriss assured, jumping into action.
Agro raised his hood as he curled his lip at Nancy’s saggy body. Then he concealed himself and fled the macabre scene.
Chapter 18
DREAD CLUTCHED LAYLA’S GUT WHEN her eyes popped open Tuesday morning, like she’d been having a nightmare. Then she realized it was due to the stress her presence was inflicting on the coven. She curled her fingers around Quin’s shirt, breathing him in as she magically cleaned her teeth. Then she looked up, finding him awake and watching her.
“Hey,” he greeted, brushing her hair from her face.
“Morning,” she returned. “Is it time for you to leave?”
“Almost. Unless you’ll let me stay.”
“I already feel guilty enough,” she refused. “Are you going to send Serafin over here to babysit me?”
“No one’s going to babysit you. If you want to be alone, that’s what you’ll do. But someone needs to know where you are so we can find you if something happens.”
“That’s fine. Tell Serafin I’ll call if I leave the house.” She tightly clutched his shirt and kissed his chest. Then she rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
When she returned, she found him waiting with coffee. “Thank you,” she sighed, smiling despite her worry.
“My pleasure,” he returned, watching her sip. Then he took the mug and floated it to the table. “I’ll see you this evening?”
“I’ll be here,” she mumbled, pouting at her captured coffee. Then Quin wiped her mind of the brew by pulling her into a hug.
“I’ll miss you while I’m gone,” he noted.
“Me, too,” she confessed, squeezing tightly.
He took her cheeks and leaned in for a kiss. “Bye, Layla Love.”
“Bye,” she whispered, smiling because he needed her to.
He dropped his hands and flew from the room, and Layla grabbed her coffee on the way to the window. She moved the heavy curtain aside, watching Quin step from her porch, but instead of going home, he headed for her grandparents’ house, no doubt on his way to tell Serafin she was alone.
Layla sighed as she looked to the pewter sky. Was she really doomed to a hidden existence? Apparently there were no officers of magical law, no prisons for powerful witches and wizards. Her only options were hide, kill or be killed.
She watched the lawn and considered her predicament until her coffee was gone. Then she found her cell. No missed calls.
She dialed Travis’ number, and her heart lightened when she got him on the first ring. He sounded better, not as mad at the world as he’d been during their last conversation, but he seemed busy with funeral plans, so she didn’t keep him long. She did, however, mention she was related to the owner of Cinnia’s Cannon Café and had already found her family, who seemed nice and normal and happy to see her. Only the normal part was a lie, so Layla delivered it with relative ease.
After hanging up, she called Phyllis and gave her the same spiel. Phyllis was thrilled with the news and wanted to ask a dozen questions, but she needed to go to an orientation meeting for her new job at the local bar.
“Congrats on the bartending gig,” Layla offered. “Don’t let the drunks get away with too much.�
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“Not on my shift,” Phyllis countered. “I’ll paddle their butts then call their moms.”
Layla smirked as she dug through her luggage. “They’ll love that.”
“Either that or they’ll behave.”
“Give ’em hell,” Layla encouraged, finding a pair of faded jeans. “Hey, before you go, I wanted to ask you to call me if Travis needs help with funeral costs. I know he won’t take it, but if he’s struggling, I’ll make an anonymous donation to the funeral home. He’ll think some snooty citizen did it for bragging rights, but he won’t be able to refuse.”
“He hasn’t mentioned anything about money,” Phyllis assured, “but if it comes up, I’ll let ya know.”
“Thanks,” Layla replied, grabbing a white t-shirt. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay, hon. Bye.”
Layla hung up and tossed the phone in a chair. Then she took a long shower, wishing the water was magical and could wash away worry and guilt. No such luck. The dread weighed on her no matter what she did. Not even a trip to the turret room cheered her up.
She lay on the white sofa for a long time, staring at the skylight as she searched for a reasonable way to end the fear she’d cast on her family, but she didn’t know enough about the magical world to help it, just enough to feel like a scourge upon it.
Rain played percussion on the skylight into the afternoon, a dreary beat to match her attitude, so she decided to join it outside. She headed for the phone in the living room, stopping for a sweatshirt along the way. Then she called Serafin.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Hey,” she greeted.
“Layla Love. How are you today?”
“Fine. I just called to tell you I’m going outside.”
“Would you like your grandma and me to join you?”
“No,” Layla answered, instinctively and without regard for her grandpa’s feelings. She squeezed her eyes shut, regretting many things. “I’m sorry, Serafin. I don’t mean to be rude. I just want to be alone right now.” She was accustomed to being alone. It made her feel halfway normal.
“I understand,” he conceded. “Let me know if you change your mind.”
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