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“That’s because I am.” I chewed my lip, knowing I needed to limit my time with Kai, but also wanting to protect the many innocent people possibly at risk. “I… It might not be exactly what you were looking for, but maybe you could round up some humans and other beings who aren’t directly involved in the war and make…a safe haven, just in case there are any of these future attacks you’re worried about.”
“What do you mean? How would we make that safe haven?”
“My old coven. They had these powerful relics that kept them safe. If they’re willing to part with it, that is.”
Kai seemed so happy and surprised. I felt so proud, and Idefinitelydidn’t plan to think about this later when I was alone, and possibly in the company of a vibrator. “That’s amazing. This coven… are they your family?”
“Sort of.” I was worried about giving any extra information away that I didn’t need to, but I also wanted to protect the innocent souls at risk. How did I tell him that they were all my mom, and yet entirely not my mother? “Really like a bunch of eccentric aunties.”
“They’d be willing to help in the war?”
“I’m not sure on that if I have to be honest. They’re pretty isolationist as a rule, and I haven’t seen them for a long time. I don’t even know if they’re still in the same place.”
“Really? You haven’t even exchanged a letter?”
I could sense he was fishing for more information about me, but I was done giving out freebies.
“I'd prefer not to talk about it.” He looked like he wanted to ask more, but I was serious, so instead I rushed into logistics. “If they’re still in their old location, I’d have to pass through a couple of red and active zones to get to them.”
Kai didn’t look happy with the news. “Wait, you want to physically go out and meet?”
“How else would we ask for a sacred heirloom?”
“I don’t know. Can you summon them or send an owl?”
I had to laugh at that. Jeez, non-witches really didn’t understand our people, did they? “My coven is very old fashioned. There’s no way to contact them through technology or any physical means, and their totems cause them to be protected from any magic sent their way as well.”
“Sounds inconvenient.”
“It’s supposed to help them not exist to the rest of the world.” Oops, I needed to be careful what I said. That obfuscation was the exact inspiration for my curse on Kai.
“I see.”
“So, basically, if you really think the citizens around here are in danger and you want to build a haven, I need to go there in person.”
“How long do you think that will take?”
“One week if they’re in a similar area. Maybe a week and a half at most. But I can’t guarantee they’ll be willing to work with me. I didn’t exactly leave on the best terms.”
That was a nice way to say I'd abandoned them in the middle of the night, too afraid of what my presence was doing to risk them possibly going out and finding me. Because if they did, even then, I knew I'd go back to them. They were the family I’d known the longest, and they always treated me with kindness and respect.
God, I missed them. I missed themsomuch. Was I ready to go back?
Probably not but, once again, I found myself considering the greater good and putting the needs of the masses above my own.
One day, it would be nice to just be selfish and not always have to put myself last. But it was clear this wasn’t the time.
I still had work to do.
Chapter 8
Kai
“One week if they’re in a similar area. Maybe a week and a half at most.”
I tried to react rationally when Everton told me the best way to protect the civilians of our nation was for her to go on a suicide mission through the most dangerous areas of war to get a relic that her old coven might not even be willing to give her. But a surprisingly adamant part of my brain wasn'thaving it.
She wanted me to just let her run off on her own into an active war zone. The very idea of letting the brave, young witch go solo made my anger flare up.
