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Declan, Justin, Caden, and Travis ran inside, and without question, Niamh went to the drawing room, ordering tea for her guests as if they were having a party and not discussing the town’s plan to kill them.
Soon enough, Kessler and Sage were there as well. Jace and Mr. Rafferty were the last two to come.
Yet there was no sign of Danu or Callum.
Telling them what she saw, everyone in the room flew into a frenzy at her words. Declan moved closer to her as if to protect her, and though she wanted to be as far away from him as possible after his betrayal, their drama was not important right now.
“Hold on, let’s think,” Declan yelled over them.
Bryn sat down, Sage taking her hand and squeezing as she sat on the arm of the couch next to her.
“Dad, what can you do?” Declan asked, knowing that Mr. Rafferty had been the one to stop such atrocities in the past.
Sighing, he shook his head in response.
“Nothing. They called for my resignation this morning after the mob lit into Justin. At this point, I will not be in power much longer.”
“On what grounds?” Declan demanded, clenching his fist.
“Take your pick. That I let heathens run free and put their town in danger. That I am partial to some and not putting the needs of the town above my own. There was a list I believe.” Mr. Rafferty rubbed his eyes under his glasses.
“Failure to put the needs of the office before his own personal affairs is what was on the very unofficial-looking paperwork I was given,” Justin grumbled. “Not much I can do, though, if the whole town is calling for it.”
Shock stole Bryn’s breath. If anyone else moved into the governor position, there would be no stopping Daran and Arioch. Mallory would be queen, reigning over Ifreann, and it would finally earn its old moniker of Hell’s Gate.
“We have to leave, then. There is no choice!” Jace yelled, pacing as he fidgeted with a bracelet on his wrist. His hands were shaking.
“There will be a trial first,” Mr. Rafferty assured. “Maybe not a fair one, but it gives us a little time to plan.”
“Then let’s start right this second. How will we travel? Horses will only get us so far in the desert. We’d be at the mercy of the sand and the sun. Gods or not, we still have human bodies,” Sage stated, her logic grating at Bryn’s nerves as she lost herself to working on and formulating a plan with limited options.
“Where is he?” Mallory’s voice could be heard through the wooden doors well before she barreled her way in, two men following her that were in the chapel moments ago. Bryn couldn’t remember their names, but the look in their eyes chilled her blood. “My son does not sleep with whores!”
Niamh rolled her eyes as she stood up from her chair, but Bryn hesitated, wondering if she should get up and help Niamh, but she remembered people of the town feared Niamh for a reason. Bryn stayed seated, hoping to see firsthand as to why.
Curiosity was a strong mistress.
“You!” Mallory pointed to Niamh. “You have brought nothing but trouble to this town, you demon! Now my son hangs out with whores.” Her eyes snapped to Jace. “Get back to your apartment, now!”
“Ms. Mallory—” Declan started, her face whipping to look at him, taking the whole of him in. A gleam glittered in her eyes, followed by a crude smile.
“Ah yes. The man my own niece whores herself out to. Now you’ve your hooks in my son? She wasn’t enough to corrupt?”
“I’d watch your tone, Ms. Kenneally. I’m allowing you this moment to collect yourself since we’ve had many a tragedy happen within these walls, but I won’t tolerate your behavior for longer than a minute if you keep it up. I still run this town.” Mr. Rafferty stood taller, Mallory only then noticing he was there as well.
“Not for long. We all know you’re not fit to lead, not any longer. Soon enough, you’ll be gone, and you’ll take that waste of oxygen I’ve been forced to call a niece with you. Whether it’s to outside of these walls or to the death where Balor help you should he be merciful enough to forgive your sins.”
Bryn wondered if Mallory knew Bryn was in the room and was blatantly ignoring her. It seemed the more her world changed, the meaner and more ignorant the woman became. The fear making her dig her heels into her beliefs even more.
“Balor will smite you all. Remember that when you do your demon worshipping here in the house of sin!” Mallory spat on the floor.
“Been waiting on your god to do some smiting for a while now. Guess he is busier than you thought watching this little town, and it’s less than a hundred population. Busy man.” Caden smirked, and Mallory straightened for another tear when Danu appeared behind her.
“You believe that your god would forsake you on the beliefs of another?” Danu asked, moving between Mallory and the rest of the room. Bryn had forgotten in all the chaos of the past few minutes that Mallory, and most likely the rest of the town, was unaware that an outsider was being kept within their walls.
Mallory’s face somehow became scarier, and Bryn started toward Danu, only to be pulled back by Declan.
With a finger pointing toward Danu, Mallory growled.
