I trust him more than I do the Emberwood coven, but don’t think it’ll help to say so. “I’m not suggesting we start preparations to retry the ritual. I just want to touch base and see what he knows about what’s happening with the ley lines. Maybe it isn’t the same rift issue causing the problem. And if it’s not, we need to find out what it is.”
When he doesn’t argue any further, I pull up Sebastian’s number and make the call. It rings… and rings…
Worry starts to take hold. “Come on. Pick up.”
The line clicks, and the call connects. “Poppy. When did you get back?”
“Just now. Eliza contacted us in Arcana and said the ley lines are destabilizing and we better get back. There’s a weird light show going on outside. What’s happening?”
Sebastian sighs. “Quite a lot. The rifts are opening faster than I can patch them. There is definitely demon energy breaching the containment.”
My stomach drops. “Can you come to my place? You can tell us what you see happening, and I’ll catch you up on what’s been happening with me.”
“I can be there in ten minutes.”
The call drops, and I turn back to the room. Wylder’s got his jaw clenched so tightly, he looks like he’s about to snap a molar. Asher is back downstairs, and he and Orion are eyefucking hard. And S’Nark is on the counter, his gremlin form perched in the fruit bowl as he chows down.
“Just another Thursday night in Emberwood.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Sebastian arrives faster than ten minutes. The doorbell chimes, and the puppers go mental. I’m in the foyer with tiny, yapping balls of cuteness encircling my feet with every step when the door swings open on its own, the house apparently inviting him in.
It’s funny, but now that I remember him from before my life went to hell, I’m not sure why I thought he looked every bit the dark sorcerer. Sure, he wears a black trench coat and has those piercing blue eyes, but those are the same color of eyes that my mom had.
And thatIwill have once my powers grow stronger.
His gaze lands on me first, then sweeps past me to where Orion and Wylder are standing in the hall, looking all tough guy with their arms crossed as if they’re cataloging threats.
I roll my eyes. “Come sit down. Pizzas are on the way.”
Sebastian frowns. “How domestic. The world is under siege, but sure, let’s stop to order a few pies.”
I look between the three men in a testosterone standoff and fight not to groan. “No need to get snooty. We just got home from Arcana. We’re hungry, and we need to catch up on what we missed before we act, anyway.”
Sebastian lets out a long sigh and dips his chin. “My apologies. I’ve been alone in this so long, it’s difficult to imagine anyone willing to step out of their way to help.”
That makes me sad. He shouldn’t have had to carry the weight of this all on his own. That’s on the Emberwood coven and their judgy shortsightedness.
I tug him fully inside and close the front door. “Well, you’re not alone now, so let’s figure out what we need to do.”
Asher and Orion lead the way back to the kitchen, and Wylder follows behind with S’Nark fluttering after him on leathery wings.
We settle around the kitchen table just as Rowan comes down the stairs and Sebastian shrugs out of his coat and drapes it over the back of his chair. “So how was Arcana? Are you feeling better?”
I hear the question he doesn’t ask and nod. “Much better. Mom came to me, showed me a bit of what happened at the ritual, and gave me my memories back. I’m much better prepared to take things on now. I’m also much more in control now that I remember being a witch and all my basic training.”
“That’s wonderful, Poppy. I’m so pleased for you.”
“And pleased with yourself, too, I expect.” Wylder’s tone is terse but not overtly hostile. “Because Poppy’s part of your plan, right? You want to use her to try things again?”
Sebastian meets Wylder’s dancing green gaze and smiles. “I’ve never hidden the fact that I can’t do this alone and that Poppy’s affinity makes her a key player in the success of this disaster. But, if you’re implying that I would sacrifice her as a novice witch just to get what I need from her, you are sorely mistaken.”
Wylder frowns. “Her mother died because you involved her in this, and now you’ve dragged Poppy into it. Doesn’t that bother you?”
Sebastian lifts his chin. “Zoe and I were in the final moments of the ritual. No one would have died if the witches of your coven—who wholeheartedly said they wanted nothing to do with saving this town—hadn’t shown up at the eleventh hour and ruined everything. Do I regret the deaths of Zoe and Grant? Absolutely, they were good people. Do I feel responsible for their deaths? No, because the blame for everything that went on that night lies squarely on the shoulders of those who interfered in something they knew nothing of.”
The tension that thickens in the air is choking, and I worry that Wylder might dive across the table and try to choke Sebastian.
