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Geneviève milked blood from her arm into the cup, saying nothing. The tilt of her head told Eli that she was anxious, but there were a limited number of ways to keep her from the compulsion to hurl herself out of the moving vehicle.
Maybe he was sensing that the time for being difficult was not now because Iggy drank the blood in unusual silence.
Then he gestured to the car. “Come, my apprentice and her family. We have a monster to defeat.”
He paused and opened the door for Beatrice, who made a show of glaring at him. “Your Majesty.”
She growled again, but this time Iggy just laughed.
Eli wasn’t certain what to think of their dynamic other than that they were friends, or something. At least Beatrice glaring at him was superior to Beatrice turning Iggy into a pig.
Maybe.
Once they were backon the road, Geneviève had her hands clutched tightly in her lap. Eli knew it pained all of them to see her so upset, but there was a limit to what she was able to endure—and she was, as a creature of three heritages, the only threat to Chester that existed other than this weapon.
“You will need to start thinking about what areas of magic interest you,” Iggy said mildly, drawing her gaze to him. “I will also need your input on plants at the site we visit. Glyphs. Some old parchment that I came across . . . you have tasks, Geneviève, so please try to sit still.”
His attempt at distraction was obvious, but it still worked. Geneviève flashed him a wide smile. She also reached over and took Eli’s hand as the car traveled over the narrow slip of land.
Behind her, Beatrice was poised as if to grab her.
Eli’s hand tightened over Geneviève’s, but she didn’t reach for her door or try to flee. She was still there, still safe, and a weight slid from Eli’s shoulders. He glanced at Iggy in the rear-view mirror.
Iggy gave a slight nod.
They were in this together—at least as far as protecting Geneviève. After that? Who knew?
15
GENEVIÈVE
Iwas embarrassed that I needed the bond with Iggy to overcome the interrupted vow with Chester, but I was also grateful for the aid. If not for the things I’d learned from him, or the gifts I gained from my grandmother’s line or my husband’s magic, I’d be defenseless . . . likely dead by now.
Part of my mind whispered that those gifts were alsowhyChester had targeted me, but the truth was that had I been only a witch—a hexen—I’d still want to stop Chester if I knew he existed. Faith, heritage, or upbringing, I wasn’t sure of the cause, but I disliked those who preyed on the weak.
And to Chester, we were all weak.
Eli pulled into a car park, as they were called here, and for a moment, the weight of Chester’s interrupted vow pressed down on me.
Does he know we’re here?
Does he suspect?
Did we take too long?
I had little knowledge of the depth of his skills. Humans weren’t typically the greatest threat I faced.
“Geneviève?” Iggy barked my name. “A worthy assistant must be at my side.”
My grandmother flashed him a strange look.
“Bonbon?” Eli said, taking my hand and tugging slightly.
I shook my head to clear away the lingering doubts that the partial vow had created.
But even in my addled state, I wasn’t so foolish as to travel without any weapons. I couldn’t load up as I liked, but I still grabbed the pair of magic-imbued daggers from Beatrice, one handgun that I slid into a discreet holster and a sword that slid at an angle across my spine. I added an oversized scarf. That and my hair hid the short hilt.
Beatrice flashed fangs. “Always armed.”
