I was sure that my parents would figure it out, so when I got a text from one of my guys that the food was good at the new campsite area at the Millen place, I let my stomach win. Plus, I wanted to do my parents a solid.
And yes, I was worried about Bevin.
I called out to Cheese that it was time to play and set a circle for us, glad I was allowed on the magic. Not all of us needed to be, but it was smart Link and I were added.
Hopefully, it wouldn’t ever be needed but… Smart.
I was surprised to find more of a college barbeque setting than work being done, but the mood was better than I’d expected, so I wasn’t about to say anything. Bevin immediately flinched when she saw me and I knew it was best not to put this off.
“No, I don’t want to talk to you and not about the stupid council or their stupid faces,” she grumbled with a petulant huff.
I blinked at her for longer than I should have and then put it together when I saw the hard seltzer in her hand. I glanced around and found Emma. “Really?”
“Yeah,really, Taylor,” she drawled. “If there was ever a freshman in the history of college that deserved to get a bit drunk, it’s this one. On her own land with dozens of big brothers and sisters watching her.” She pointed at Tracey, Clare, and Jasmine who were all close by just to make her point.
Fair enough.
I chuckled when Bevin turned around on the bench as I moved closer. I squatted down next to her so she’d see me if she flipped back too. “We don’t have to discuss anything. I just want you to listen to me for a minute and I think it will help.” I swallowed a laugh when she huffed again. “And I’ll repeat it again when you’re sober.”
She frowned and faced me. “That might be smart.”
“Yeah, I know how this goes,” I drawled. I let out a slow breath and met her curious eyes. “I’m on the right team and like Link, I knew it wouldn’t be you or my family. It’s the same team of doing good no matter your roles of council or what you’re doing, okay?”
Her lower lip quivered and she looked away. “You didn’t keep me safe. You promised to keep me safe if I kept up the war. You’re a jerk.”
Fuck, talk about kicking someone in the balls. “I’m sorry you got hurt and we didn’t prevent Conrad’s insanity. It was too bold of a move that was doomed to fail for me to have seen it.”
“That’s what the others say and I get, but I’m the one who gets hurt,” she rasped. “I don’t want to get hurt anymore.”
“I can’t promise that and we’re all going to get hurt, but I can promise we’re all doing our best and we’ll alwaysfixwhat goes wrong.” I swallowed when she shot me a disbelieving look. “Bothof my parents made it clear they’re upset at the outcome. They wanted him to be punished more.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she whispered, her shoulders drooping.
“I know, but you need to hear how upset they are. My dad exploded and he never does that. He was scared people would stay on you being a goddess witch if they punished Conrad more.” I nodded when she peeked at me. “That’s the only holdback, Bevin. He’s… They’re both struggling. The answers aren’t easy for any of us.”
“It wasn’t enough for what he tried to do to me,” she whispered.
“You’re right.” I repeated it until she seemed to hear me. “But the public cannot know the full extent, so how can they explain that? You know this.”
“I know this, but it’s not fair and hurts.”
“Valid.” I snorted when she looked at me. “Bevin, I want him in the fucking ground and I think we’re all idiots for not making that happen. He needs to be taken off the board, not spanked and ‘reformed’ when we all know someone like him won’t ever be reformed. So you are not alone in how you feel.”
I went to tell her more like even my mother said she hoped Conrad didn’t survive prison, but that wasn’t for me to say. And certainly not with so many ears around.
I rubbed her knee when she seemed lost. “You are the future. You and the better half of the council who need to step up and support you so we can cut the cancer out of our society and get back on track. I completely believe that down to mysoulafter seeing how good you are and what you can do. Fuck, what you can do is bigger than the council.”
I ignored when people around me froze.Meof all people saying that was huge. I knew that. I was the eldest child of the head of the council. Yeah, of course that mattered.
“So know a lot of us are fucking furious for you and this isn’t over with Conrad. I swear it to you that it’s not, and lighter punishment than he deserved wassolelyto protect you.”
“I know,” she whispered, her shoulders slumping again. “He got the max for every charge. I know that. I know… I know.”
“Sometimes you just need to hear it said and who is on your side.” I was glad when she nodded even if a tear fell onto the picnic table. “Good, then I want you to go somewhere with me Tuesday.”
Her eyes were curious, clearly knowing me well enough and trusting me, but there were a few sputters or noises behind me. Not from my guys since they all probably knew exactly where my head was.
So I flicked the others off over my shoulder and focused on Bevin. “It’s a yoga class a lot of us take. It’s run by someone who’s former military—we all are. It’s a lot of breathing exercises to help us with our anxiety—it helps a lot for former service members with PTSD or who are struggling.”
