I glanced around the room, dozens of eyes on me. Why were they all so sad?
Ronan, Darius, Asher… I looked over each one in turn.
“That’s it, Gray,” the soft voice said. “Follow my voice and come back.”
Ronan, Darius, Asher…
Ronan, Darius… Emilio. Wait, where is Emilio?
I blinked rapidly, scanning the sea of faces—most of them unfamiliar—for the wolf.
“Where is…” I began, then shook my head, clearing away the haze. He wasn’t here. He was… they were saying he was gone.
Everything came rushing back, breaking through the spell and hitting me again like a bucket of ice water to the face.
“What are youdoingto me?” I shouted, whirling around toward the source of the placating words. Deirdre was still whispering her soothing mantras, still bathing me in her magic, but I was done with that. I broke her magical hold, welcoming the rush of fury that boiled up inside, once again set loose. Ineededthis madness, this dark energy, this wild magic, no matter how ugly it got. No matter how uncomfortable it made everyone else feel.
My skin was crackling with magical energy, the hairs on my neck and arms standing on end. It reminded me of that day on the beach in the Shadowrealm when Liam and I had kissed—those intense sparks, the moment just before lightning struck the sand.
“Emilio is still with us,” I said, my voice trembling with anger. “Maybe not in this realm, but he’s not gone.”
At this, Ronan reached out, his palm facing up. There in the center was a black feather sticky with blood. “This was the only thing left behind.”
“That’s… good,” I said, the barest blush of a plan formulating in my mind. “No, that’s actually… really good.”
I turned around and searched the wide-eyed faces of the witches gathered in the living room for my sister.
“Haley?” I said, and she got to her feet, smoothing a hand over her near-bald head. “You’re with me.”
Haley nodded without hesitation, crossing the room to join me. If I’d scared her with my outburst, she didn’t show it, her eyes flashing with renewed determination that made me glad to have her on my side.
“Darius,” I continued, “I need you to go into the kitchen and find me a clear glass bowl, some bottled water, matches, candles, salt, and the sharpest knife you can find. Ash? Your job is to keep an eye on the hounds and keep everyone away from us.Noone disturbs us—and I meannoone—unless we come under attack or the house is literally burning down around us.” Then, to Deirdre and the rest of the witches, “Are you guys up for a little protection magic? We need to keep this place on lockdown as long as we can.”
They nodded in unison—even Deirdre, who was watching me with a mix of frustration and pride that almost made me smile.
“Where are yougoing, Gray?” Ronan asked, his voice barely recognizable now. He still hadn’t moved from his position in front of the door. It was as if the weight of Emilio’s near-death had fallen on his shoulders, cementing him in place.
All he had to do was believe me. To have faith. But I knew from the look in his eyes that he didn’t.
“Where am Igoing?” I snapped. “Where am I going?! Let me tell you something, Ronan Vacarro.” I shoved a finger into his chest, welcoming the brief burn. “This crew… Since all this shit started, we have fought demons together, hunters, rogue vamps, hell’s curses, fae traitors, illusions, and every single sharp, pointy, flaming, cursed obstacle the universe has thrown at us. And you know what? I’m tired. I’m tired and I’m pissed off and I amdoneplaying games. We deserve a break.”
“Gray. You can’t just—”
“Watch me.” I snatched the bloody feather from his hand and turned around to find Darius with his arms full of the supplies I’d asked him to get from the kitchen. Haley and I took everything, and then I met Ronan’s eyes one last time. “I’m going to find Emilio and Liam, and then I’m going to bring thembothback here. Because I don’t care what hell beasts are waiting for us tomorrow or which contracts and rules I have to break now. This crew—no, screw that. Thisfamily—we’ve just been fucked with for thelastgod damn time.”
Seven
GRAY
“Nice speech, Aragorn.” Haley closed the guest room door behind us, then turned to face me, her arms full of supplies. “I assume you have an actual plan?”
The shaved head made the fire in her eyes burn even more brightly, and despite the dark circles beneath them, she looked energized and ready to rock.
“It’s percolating,” I said, shedding the robe and grabbing a T-shirt and an old pair of leggings from the closet. “But here’s the short version: you’re going to help me do some blood magic to track them down.”
“Gray, are you sure you—”
“Look, Hay. I don’t have a lot of time for a debate.” I quickly pulled on the clothes, then wrapped my hair in a bun. “Either you’re in on this, or you’re in my way.”
