Page 125 of Demon and the Raven

Declan Grant knew even more about my magic than Amanda did, as he had benefited from it last fall. He knew I was a branded witch, whereas she didn’t know that part. But as he and his wife were now expecting a child, I had not wanted to involve him.

I was sitting at the table, nursing a glass of ice water, when they came in not fifteen minutes later, carrying bags of food from Declan’s bistro.

Slamming the bags down on the kitchen table, he whispered harshly, “How dare you not tell me there was a demon in town and that you were in danger!”

Amanda was staring at him wide-eyed, evidently taken aback by his whispering something that ought to be yelled. I, however, was not nearly as shocked.

He rubbed his throat. “Why can’t I talk properly?” he asked me, still whispering.

I pointed to the bedroom. “The cottage’s favorite person is sleeping. No way it lets you get above this range I’m using right now.”

Declan lifted his head, the way we all did for some reason. The ceiling wasn’t so far away that it was needed. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,” he said, and the scent of lemon and verbena wafted through the cottage.

“Also, Father Dennis is asleep on the couch.”

Both of them walked over to check on him, Declan returned first.

“Does the good father know all our secrets?” he asked me.

“Most,” I said, and that thought made me smile. “But not all.” My gaze met his. “Like not the kind of witch I am.”

He nodded. “Got it.”

Amanda joined us then. “We brought food so you both can stay home and veg, and I know you’re tired, but Dec and I need to be filled in.”

She had started calling him Dec sometime during the spring, when the three of us had started baking together every other Sunday morning after she came back from church.

“Okay,” I began, “so after we talked, Lorne and I went to see Father Dennis and found Mal there. He⁠—”

“No,” Declan stopped me, and I noticed Amanda nodding in agreement. “You need to give me all the details. I want to hear it like Amanda was telling it, with facial expressions, tone of voice, all your feelings…that’s what I’m after.”

“Me too,” she chimed in.

I had to smile at them. How lucky was I to have two people, in addition to Lorne, and now Father Dennis, who knew I was a witch and were privy to all—or nearly all—my secrets. I was very blessed. As I felt the emotion surge through me, I had to reach out and grab both their hands. They both squeezed back tight.

The unpacking of the events, the way they wanted to hear, took hours. Because of course there were interruptions, food needed to be put out, and then plated so I could nosh a bit while I explained more. Amanda made a pitcher of margaritas—on the rocks since there was no blender in my kitchen, but that worked out better anyway because if we couldn’t raise our voices, then the cottage definitely would not have allowed us to use a blender.

When I got to the part where Mal came in, they were both terribly relieved to hear that our friend was still our friend and not at all carrying a demon around inside him.

“I adore Mal,” Amanda confessed. “I’m so happy.”

“Me too,” Declan agreed, “and he’s very good for business.”

“How?” I asked him.

“When he comes in for lunch, half a dozen women on average follow him through the door in hopes of chatting him up.”

Amanda nodded. “Were I single, I’d hit that.”

“Nasty,” I teased her.

“Well, Mal’s handsome enough, it’s true,” Declan concurred, “but for me, after my sweet Kim, there’s no creature more delectable than you, my dear Xander.”

He got a smile for that.

Father Dennis woke up then, which was good timing, as I was on the part where Lorne and I drove out to the mansion. Amanda got him situated with a margarita and food, and he was thrilled to find out that she and Declan knew everything.

“I’m so happy to have people to discuss adventures with,” he said cheerfully, smiling at them.