Evie jolted like she’d been electrocuted. Then she jumped to her feet. “Don’t you dare, Marie,” she hissed. “Danica’s working herself to the bone trying to find out who killed our family.”
To her credit, Marie took one look at Evie’s enraged expression and nodded. I watched her as she took a seat at my dining table.
Gemma sighed. She looked her age, grief cutting deep lines into her brow. “You may investigate the fire,” she told me.
“Great. I’ll need to interview all of the coven members in Durham.”
I’d expected her to argue, but she merely nodded, ignoring the protests from the witches sitting at the table.
“Give us a couple of days to mourn,” she said, and I frowned. That would give people time to get their stories straight.
She shook her head at whatever she saw on my face. “We all need to get some sleep.”
The witches filed out. Evie poured herself a glass of water. “I’m sorry they were assholes.”
“I’m used to it.”
She flinched and I sighed. “I wasn’t poking at you. Christ, I’m tired. Let’s shelve this conversation for the morning.”
She nodded and I turned, wandering into my bedroom. Lia was stretched out on my bed and she opened one eye as I walked in and turned on the light.
I lay down next to her, petting her soft head. Then I forced myself to get up and find the calendar I’d printed at Riona’s. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Mere, but Riona needed me to figure out what the hell could have happened to her.
I scanned her schedule as I lay back down. According to Riona’s calendar, she had a dog walking job in Chancellor’s Ridge on the day she disappeared. I made a mental note for the morning to check if Kyla had followed up on that. And then I dreamed of blood and swords and fire, and war.
* * *
Samael
I shook my head as I gazed at the exhausted witch, sprawled out on her bed next to her cat. The cat eyed me distrustfully and I leaned over, holding my hand out for her to sniff.
She let out a tiny meow.
“Quiet,” I ordered in a sharp whisper, shaking my head at the sleeping witchling. She hadn’t even taken off her shoes. I pried them off her feet and she came awake instantly, her fist swinging as her mouth opened. I caught her fist and slammed my other hand over her mouth as she glared up at me.
“You’ll wake your sister.” I slowly removed my hand from her mouth and she let out a low growl.
“What exactly are you doing here?”
I shrugged and pulled off my shirt. Her gaze slid to my chest, and I felt it like a caress as it drifted lower before she managed to pull it back up to my face.
“You’re here.” I smiled at her.
Her mouth fell open and my body stirred. She made a picture with her tangled hair, open mouth, and narrowed, distrustful eyes.
“How did you get through my wards?”
I lifted one eyebrow and she cursed.
“Have you gone mad?” Her voice was a low hiss, and I smiled.
“It certainly feels that way. Move over.”
“You’re not sleeping here.”
Since Danica refused to move, I picked up the cat and lay down in her spot.
“This bed is atrocious.”
