“Bloody hell,” Ramsay said.
“Oh stop, you’ll love it. Just think, you won’t have to deal with any customers and Lia makes excellent dinners.”
“True,” Ramsay said, mollified.
“I hate to say it, but I think she’s right.” Graham tried to stand and his legs buckled. Ramsay caught him before he could fall.
“Lean on me,” Ramsay said. “We’ll go slow.”
“Let’s just take my car,” Faelan suggested.
“Much better idea,” Sophie agreed. “Agnes, do you want me to stop and get you some clothes?”
“I’ll go. I should get Quilliam.”
“We’llgo with you,” Willow said. “We move in teams now.”
At that, everyone split up and I tried not to cry as I watched Graham hobble away into the car. The curse had struck. And for now, at least, we had won.
But I knew this victory wouldn’t last.
We were running out of time.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
AGNES
It felt like a party. It shouldn’t have, but there was no way to get everyone together—familiars included—and not have utter chaos.
Lachlan had put Loren Brae on lockdown, much to Graham’s chagrin. I couldn’t help but agree with his decision. Businesses were closed, classes at school were let out early, and everyone was cautioned to shelter-in-place. We didn’t know what was coming our way, but at the same time, it seemed like we could no longer ignore it. Or at the very least, go about life as usual.
Not when a simple keg delivery could result in near death.
And the Beithir hadn’t even made an appearance. Who was to say what terror would be unleashed if he did? We were gathered at Grasshopper, Lia and Hilda falling intodefault mode of feeding everyone, while the familiars held court in the corner of the room. They looked like a maniacal menagerie planning mischievous things, and I couldn’t help wondering what they were up to when I saw Gnorman, Shona’s gnome, raise his fist into the air and offer a battle cry.
The cheers, and barks, and squawks that joined him should have been comforting.
Instead, unable to sit, I stood.
Graham caught my hand before I could resume my pacing. “Agnes. Come here.”
“I can’t sit down. If I sit down, I’ll fall apart.”
“Then fall apart. I’ll catch you.”
“You nearly drowned an hour ago. You’re in no condition to catch anyone.”
“I’m in perfect condition. Faelan just said my lungs are clear.”
“She said you might be coughing for days.”
“Minor detail.” He tugged at my hand, and I let him pull me down onto the bench beside him. “There. See? Sitting. Not so bad.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I really, really do.”
