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Even I couldn’t think of a reasonable explanation to give, so I accepted defeat. “Okay, dammit, why isn’t Brandon answering his phone? I thought he was staying at the hospital with Kipp.”
“Maybe he’s working,” Zach offered, looking at me in the rearview mirror, as he drove down the dark road. “Keep trying.”
I did, again…and again…and again. Brandon still didn’t pick up, and as we turned onto the Animus headquarters’ tree-lined street, I was more than done with hearing his stupid voicemail message.
Placing the phone into my pocket, I looked out the front windshield as Zach pulled into the driveway. We drove down the long laneway and I noticed Dane, Amelia, and Alexander waiting by the front porch, reminding me we had other matters to deal with, too.
I had to stay focused…for now…for Caley. Alexander needed to cross over, and Caley needed her body back. Once all that crazy business was over, we’d turn all the attention onto Kipp, as it had been before all this insanity had started with the Animus.
One slow, painful step at a time.
As I’d done for months now, and seriously had become an expert at, I pushed away my own personal trauma and focused on others. With all the pushing I’d done, I expected my body and mind soon wouldn’t allow me to shove away anymore.
Truth be told, I didn’t even want to be around me when I finally reached my breaking point. But I always could feel, in the deepest part of my soul, it was coming…perhaps even long overdue.
After the car rolled to a stop, Zach turned off the ignition. He stared out his window to the cops strolling the yard, and then he looked out the windshield to the three cops standing on the front porch before he turned to me. He looked between the seats, and his eyes searched mine. “Question for you—why didn’t you out Amelia to Dane?”
“Yes,” Gretchen said, unlatching her seatbelt. “I wondered that, too.”
I hesitated, allowing myself to reconcile it in my own mind.
Why hadn’t I?
I could’ve told Dane that Amelia was the one behind the spell, but yet again, a truth rose I couldn’t push away. “Because if the roles were reversed, I would’ve done the same thing. If I had magical abilities, I would’ve used them without a single thought, if it meant helping Kipp. And I would’ve bulldozed her if I needed her out of the way.”
Zach laughed, incredulous. “Including knocking everyone out?”
I glanced out the windshield at Amelia as she held her father’s hand, and then I nodded at Zach. “If it came down to that, yes.” At his parted lips, I added, “Besides, if we had told her the truth, she never would have done it. She wasn’t acting out of malice. She was trying to ensure I would help Alexander.”
In a soft voice, Gretchen asked, “So, you understand her?”
I, once again, nodded. “I’m not saying she’s not totally twisted and upwards of crazy, because her behavior is. But love makes you do crazy-ass things. I can’t hate her for acting out of love. Right?”
“Put that way, no.” Zach chuckled. It didn’t sound amused. “But I’m damn sure I wouldn’t see it the way you do.” Clearly, he wasn’t as forgiving as me. Apparently, neither was Max, since he grumbled when he exited the car. And Eddie mirrored the sound when he left his spot beside Gretchen.
Once the car cleared of grumpy men, Gretchen smiled and took my hand. “You have a good soul, Tess.”
Of course, Gretchen would understand. She lived this same insane life as I did, and knew that normal decisions didn’t happen in our lives because our lives weren’t normal.
She hesitated, holding my hand so tight, and then she finally said, “I have a feeling about Kipp.” Her stare held mine, intense and focused. “Do you want to know?”
When I had first met Gretchen, she’d told me she had premonitions. While it tempted me to ask her what she sensed when she’d been sleeping, what if she told me bad news? Could I handle it and deal with Alexander?
I didn’t think so.
Not with the tension in my chest that seemed to tighten with each breath. “Later, okay? Let’s get Caley back, Alexander crossed over, and then we’ll talk.”
She nodded with her sweet smile. “Sounds like a good plan.”
Part of me wondered if her smile was sympathy or happiness, but again, I shoved it all away and followed her out of the car. I slammed the door behind me, and then approached Alexander, who stood in front of the porch steps.
The lights on the outside of the home had been turned on and the glow from inside—due to the police officers in the house—cast a warm light out into the night. A necessary cold distance slid into place inside of me, otherwise, I doubted I’d get through this. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how hard this would be for Amelia and Dane. I didn’t even want to consider it. Turning to Alexander, I asked, “Where should we do this?”
His brow drew together. “Wayde cast the first spell at the swamp and the magnetic fields are located there that I tapped into. It makes sense to do this spell for me there, too.”
Great, going back to the stinky swamp again where this hell had all started in the first place wasn’t at the top of my to-do list, but who was I to argue? Alexander wouldn’t have suggested it if he didn’t deem it necessary. “So, err…” I had no idea how to put this into words, so I simply muttered, “Are you ready to do this now?”
Alexander gave a firm nod. “I am.”
