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“I don’t remember anything like that happening,” Ruth said. “There was a red flash when you did it. Everyone saw it. I don’t remember the flash.”
“You may not have noticed it if it was done during the flare,” Kate said.
“How do we know you didn’t just make this up?” another woman asked.
“People, please,” Ned said.
Kate sat up fully and addressed the woman. “When the forest bombarded the town that first time, it infected you with spores. That was the brown powder you saw. The spores stayed dormant in your lungs because the magic of the forest suppressed it. When some of you tried to leave the area, the spores sprouted and made you sick. That’s how you know this area was claimed.”
They took a moment to digest it.
“What happens to the spores now?” Mayor Gene asked.
“Nothing. I killed them all when I claimed the town,” Kate told them.
The small crowd stirred.
“You can leave at will now,” I clarified. “You won’t die outside of Penderton’s boundaries, at least not from the spores. Although, I would recommend staying here until we’ve dealt with whatever is in that forest. You are safest here, where her magic can shield you.”
Nothing.
They still weren’t getting it. Okay. I laid it out: “Your choices were a giant spore bomb exploding in the center of town or being magically protected for a few days. Consider us the lesser of two evils.”
“When are you going into the forest?” the man in the overalls demanded.
“Tomorrow morning if the magic holds,” I said.
“Don’t take too long,” the man said.
Really? I hadn’t realized we were on the clock.
Mayor Gene turned and looked at overalls guy.
I let a little gold roll over my irises. The tiniest hint of an alpha stare.
The man took a step back. That’s better.
Ned heaved a sigh. “Brighton, what are you even doing here? Did your folks let you out of the basement? Bless their hearts, they must think it’s Thanksgiving.”
“We’ll take volunteers,” I said. “Does anyone want to go into the woods with us to save your town from the evil?”
Nobody moved.
“Mr. Brighton, is it? Would you like to join us? Make sure we stick to your schedule?” I turned the stare up a bit and held his gaze.
Mr. Brighton swallowed and looked down. “No.”
“Glad we have that settled,” I said. “If there’s nothing else, we have sandwiches to eat and injuries to heal. I’m sure you all have things to do as well. Please don’t let us keep you.”
Mayor Gene looked at Ned. Ned didn’t say anything.
“Thank you,” Heather said.
People looked at her.
The interim head of the town guard squared her shoulders. “Thank you for saving the town and looking out for my guys. And for killing the spores. We appreciate it.”
I turned off the alpha stare and smiled to put her at ease. “You’re welcome,” I said.
10
Kate
The cold evening breeze swirled around me. I leaned on the rail of our third-floor balcony and watched the last glowing coals of sunset burn down to a cool indigo. The days were growing shorter and shorter. Winter would come soon.
Voices and laughter floated up from the floors below. The shapeshifters were having one last feast before the battle tomorrow. Conlan was in the middle of it, soaking up all the jokes and the friendly snarling.
The forest hadn’t attacked again. Where their magic had been shallow and faint, mine was a deep, potent lake. It must’ve been quite a shock. If they tried something during the night, I’d know instantly.
The door swung open. Curran walked out onto the balcony and leaned on the rail next to me.
“Hey, baby.”
“Hey.”
We looked at the woods. Tomorrow would suck.
I sent a pulse of magic through the glyphs drawn in the corners of the balcony floor and our room. A soundproof ward surged up.
“Look at that. I’m trapped,” Curran said. Gold sparked in his gray eyes and vanished.
I dragged my mind out of the bedroom and back to the balcony. I’d been putting off this conversation for a long time. We had to have it.
“We need to talk, and I don’t want anyone to overhear,” I said.
“Never a good opening.”
“I claimed a town after I swore up and down that I would never do it again. And when we root out whatever is in the woods and find a good site for our new Keep, I will claim that as well.”
He nodded.
“You swore to never lead another pack. When Mahon came to you three years ago asking you to restart the Pack out of Jim’s territory, you told him that Hell would freeze over first.”
“True. I said that.”
“I have my reasons. You have yours. Let’s share.”
“On three?” he asked.
“One, two…”
“Conlan,” we said at the same time.
Right. “I’ll go first. You left the Pack because of me. Both because you knew I didn’t like it and because my father forced us against a wall. It worked for a while in Atlanta, because we lived in a village inside the city where everyone was friend or family. I thought people would get over my claiming the city and Roland invading, but they didn’t. Staying in Atlanta became more and more difficult. Again, that’s on me. My presence created that problem.”
