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Chapter Fourteen
Blake
After the clan meeting, I’d shifted into wolf form and done a quick perimeter run of my territory. Everything had been clear; I hadn’t seen anything strange or sensed anything magical in the area that didn’t belong. So, I’d headed to find the other warlocks on patrol duty. Which had brought quite a surprise.
I walk up behind Tamsin right as she says, “I was really worried you all hated me… like Blake does.”
An awkward silence falls around the fire as Colin, Daniel, and the others look up at me. And then Tamsin turns and sees me standing over her. Her gray eyes widen.
How can she think I hate her?
“Getting the afternoon off to a jolly start, I see.” I point to the whisky bottle and Tamsin blushes, which is quite a feat given her cheeks are already red from the icy temperatures.
“My horse got loose,” she says.
She passes the bottle to Daniel and stands, brushing grass off her pants. She also sways a tiny bit. Apparently, they’d been at that bottle for a while.
Tamsin pats the horse on the neck. “I’ll just be on my way.”
“You’ll likely break your ankle trying to walk three miles across the moorlands tipsy,” I say with a frown.
She narrows her eyes. “I think I can manage.”
Colin stands. “I’ll walk with you, Tamsin.”
“No, I need you out on patrol,” I say, too quickly. “I’ll escort her.”
“I do not need an escort,” Tamsin growls.
I step forward into her space and when she steps backwards, she wobbles on her feet. I cross my arms over my chest. “I beg to differ.”
She glares up at me, and I stare back, unblinking.
“Tamsin, just let him do it or we’ll be here all day,” Daniel says with a chuckle.
I shoot him a pointed look, but then Colin grins and adds, “There’s no shame in it, Tams. They don’t make whisky in the states like they do here. Local stuff is stronger.”
“Fine,” she says. “If it will shut all of you up.”
This elicits a round of raucous laughter from all the boys, and Daniel runs over and lifts Tamsin up onto the horse’s back. She squeals and laughs. It’s just like it was when we were all younger. Me, Tamsin, and the rest of the warlocks. She’d been like our kid sister for the longest time… until suddenly she wasn’t.
I grab the horse’s lead rope. “Don’t fall off, or Nessa will kill me.”
Tamsin shoots me a coy smile. “Me? Fall off a horse? I could drink all the whisky in the world and that still couldn’t make me part ways with my mount.”
I roll my eyes and lead the horse forward. Tamsin turns and waves to the warlocks, and they call farewells after her. I feel a surge of jealousy. She gets on with them so easily, but with me… the tension is thick enough to cut into slices.
I take the long way out of the hills instead of cutting through the closest passage out to the lake. Mostly because I want Tamsin to sober up before I deliver her home. Witches process alcohol quickly, so it shouldn’t take long. I also want to question her about the Night Guild and what happened in Costa Rica. The whisky might just be my truth serum today.
My mouth opens to ask her a question, but she beats me to it. “I’m so happy Colin married Isadore. Their kids are so cute.” Her tone is sing-songy, and she reaches down and pats the horse on the neck again. “You know, I was worried you’d be married. Of all the things I have to worry about in my life right now.” She laughs. “Ridiculous, isn’t it?”
“About that…”
Tamsin hiccups. “Wait… you are married? Then why the hell did you kiss me, you jerk?!”
“Not about the married part,” I say hastily. “About the things you have to worry about.” I turn and look over my shoulder at her. She’s feisty when she’s drunk. Well, extra feisty. “I need you to tell me everything you know about the Night Guild. And Costa Rica. How you escaped. All of it.”
“You are very nosy, Blake Blackstock,” she says with a sigh and another hiccup. “But sure, whatever.”
