The storm was gone, as if it had never been there.
The truck was still, the engine dead.
We were in the middle of the road, not far from Eunice’s house.The hunter’s SUV several blocks ahead of us.
“What the hell was that?”I yelled.
Abbi squirmed against my grip.I leaned back into the seat, dropping my arm.But not before squeezing Lula’s once.She swallowed and nodded, acknowledging me.
She didn’t look away from the window, her eyes wide with adrenalin.
“Thor,” Abbi shoved at my arm again, and I moved it fully away from her.“He took the storm away.See?There’s no storm.He did this.”She waved her hands a little erratically at the world around us.“I told you.I told you he was good.”
“He hit us with a hammer,” I said.“Fuck.Just…” I mopped my shaking hand across my face, “…fuck.”
“He hammered the storm away, Brogan,” Abbi said, like I hadn’t heard her the first time.“Not us, the storm.”
“God storm,” Lula said.“That was not natural.If he didn’t call it up, who did?”
“I don’t want to find out,” I said.“Not while we’re sitting still.”
She swallowed.Her hand shook, but she started the truck.Silver’s engine (thankfully) kicked over on the first try and we rolled up next to the hunters.
“Well holy hickory hell, Gauges,” Pamela said when I rolled down my window.“How many gods hate you?”
“Too many.You still on for this?No hard feelings if you want to tap out now.”
“Don’t even think we’d leave you stranded.Family helps family.Stick tight and keep a weather eye.I’ll get us there.”
Elmer stuck his hand out the window and slapped the top of the car.“Let’s go.”
Pamela eased back onto the road and Lula’s hand found mine.“There are wipes in the glove compartment,” she said.
“For?”
“Your head.You’re bleeding.”I forgotten she’d said something about it after I’d been knocked on my ass.But now that she mentioned it, the headache growing behind my eyes made sense.
I fumbled with the glove compartment and pulled out the package of damp wipes.I dabbed one at my forehead, and Abbi shifted on her knees.
“Here.You’re missing it.”She took the wipe and scrubbed it firmly from my jaw to my temple.
I grunted at the pressure, but she didn’t let up.“Turn your head so I can see where the cut is.”
I did as she ordered.She poked at my hair, then hit a spot that sent stars across my vision and electricity down my spine.
I jerked and cupped my hand over the wound.“You don’t have to stick your finger through my head.”
“I need to clean it.Right Lula?I need to clean the cut.”
“Brogan, let her clean it.”
“For the love of…” I leaned back toward her and dropped my hand.“It’s just a scrape.”
Abbi was a little gentler when she parted my hair and dabbed at the wound, but it still smarted.
“Maybe stitches?”she said.“I…I don’t know doctor stuff.I can heal it though, but I need my mortar and pestle and Hado and magic.Can I do magic?”
“No,” Lula and I said at the same time.
