“He saw something last night.” Mara cuts in before I can open my mouth. “It was a nightmare.”
She looks at me. I frown because it wasn’t a nightmare. But I’m not exactly in a position to argue right now.
I look at Tiana. “I’m truly sorry, sister.”
She huffs and looks away.
My mother pops the back of my head again.
“Ah—damn, Ma, okay.”
Jacob pulls her closer this time, wrapping an arm around her waist. She lets him, but she stays locked on me.
“Every time I see you I’m gonna pop you,” she growls. “How dare you. You know better, Aaron.”
Sam clears his throat. “It sounds like it’s been a stressful evening for everyone. Were you able to get whatever was going on at the Witching Glen under control?”
My mother and Tiana go quiet at the same time. Nobody says a damn word. Sam doesn’t need to know the rest.
I walk over to Mara and pull the lab coat off her lap. She squeals when I pick her up and her arms lock around my neck, her legs around my waist, her tail swaying behind her.
“It’s handled,” I tell Sam. “But it’s a matter for King Amir.”
Sam nods. “Just know that you have Ash Clan if you need us.”
I grin at that.
My mother puts a hand to her forehead and glares at me. “I want to see you at the Conjuring Hall tomorrow. Understand?”
“Yes, Ma.”
I conjure a portal. The portal splits beside us and I can see our cabin in the community lands through it. The dark living room, the moonlight through the windows.
“Wait, why—“ Mara starts.
I step through. The portal closes behind us and Mara wiggles until I set her down. Her feet hit the floor and she turns on me.
“Why didn’t you stay so you could get looked at?”
“I’m fine, Mara.”
She grips my face and turns it side to side. The bruises from Eric’s boot are still tender and I wince when her fingers press too hard. She catches it.
“You do not look okay,” she tells me.
I grab her wrist and pull her hand away.
“What happened?” she asks.
Her amber eyes lock on mine and I can’t keep lying to this lioness. Not after tonight.
“I opened the Witching Glen.”
Her breath stops. Her lips part and she just stares at me.
“You wanted the truth.” My voice comes out rough. “Well, everyone was right. I’m the fucking idiot.”
I turn away and walk to the sofa. I drop onto it and put my face in my hands because I’m done. I opened the Glen. I let Eric out. I put every person on this island in danger because I thought I could outsmart a vision, and all I did was walk straight into it.
