Gaia, I was tired. And nauseous.I rarely felt this ill after retrieving a soul. I also rarely brought back this many souls that had been viciously murdered. I cringed remembering the litany of pain each and every one felt in their final moments on earth. While I couldn’t be certain, I had a feeling it was made that much worse by the souls themselves. They weren’tgood. That was a vague term I didn’t truly have a definition for. All I could say was that each of them feltwrongin some way or another. None of them were emotionally stable, and I suspicioned all had some form of undiagnosed psychosis. Interpreting their responses took a lot more effort than a psychologically sound soul.
Mental illness threw a wrench into the perception of truth. I’d lost count of the number of times I told Franklin that what was said was “their truth.” That didn’t mean it was true, only that they believed it to be.
As Pops’s pain charm wore off, my headache resurfaced. I activated another immediately. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any antinausea charms hanging out in my pockets.
Franklin was speaking with his captain, Loretta Cicely. I’d considered driving home but was afraid I’d either fall asleepor maybe pass out at the wheel. Currently, I wasn’t the most capable driver, and so I parked my butt on Franklin’s chair, slumped down and mindlessly staring at the litany of papers scattered across his desk. Knowing him, there was order to the chaos, but it was an order only he recognized.
Officer Ebony Becks had walked by a couple of times. Each pass she kindly asked me how I was doing and if there was anything she could get me. Ebony was one of my favorites, and I made certain to plaster a smile on my face every time I declined her generous offers. Truth was, there wasn’t anything she could do. She’d also taken the opportunity to apologize again about not having time to make headway on the list of human necromancer mother names the Warlock Council had reluctantly sent my way last year. I reassured her not to worry about it. Currently, that project was on indefinite hold. Leander Dunn’s call last night cemented my resolve not to search for my fellow necromancers until the issues with Huxley were resolved. I could not knowingly place any more of them in harm’s way. The guilt over Leander sat heavy enough in my gut.
Pulling out my phone, I sifted through my latest texts. Phlox and Leon were on their way to Leander’s home right now. Leander wasn’t happy about it, but when I’d explained that Phlox and Leon could bring charmed wards to set up around the house, he’d relented. None of us knew if they would work, but it was all I currently had to offer. They wouldn’t be as good as if Pops were here and laid them himself.
The charms were older, but Pops assured me they should still work. He’d been precise in his instructions that Leander needed to be very specific with his intentions when he activated them. Leander needed to guard that which was important to him—his own safety and the safety of his dogs.
None of us knew if the protective charms would work. The charms Pops placed at the boundary of my and Momma’sproperties made it clear that none could pass who meant us harm. Last time Pops visited, he’d altered the wards to include Franklin. Now none could pass who meant me or the man I loved harm. We had no idea if Pops’s wards would keep a shadow borne out.
Again, it was simply the best any of us could do.
My eyes slipped closed while I tried mentally settling my stomach. I’d managed a brief reprieve when Franklin reappeared. I hadn’t thought it possible for him to look anymore haggard than before. I was clearly wrong.
“That bad?” I asked.
Franklin leaned against his desk, propping a hip on the edge as he loomed over me. I didn’t really mind the looming so much. “Define bad.”
I cringed. “I think I’ll take a hard pass on that one.”
Franklin grinned. “Smart.” His smile faded into a yawn.
“You look beat.”
“I think that assessment is kinder than it should be.” Franklin stood and held his hand out. “Come on, time to go home.”
I checked the clock. It was dark out, but barely past seven p.m. “You sure?” I asked while standing. Franklin had been getting home a lot later recently.
“Captain’s orders.” Franklin didn’t sound overly upset about this particular order. “Let’s grab some food on the way home, stuff our faces, take a shower, and curl up naked under the covers.”
My answering grin hurt my cheeks. “You have the best ideas, Franklin O’Hare.”
“I do, don’t I?” Franklin draped his arm across my shoulders, pulling me in tight. “You okay to walk out to the vehicle?”
My legs felt like leaden weights, and it took far more effort than it should to lift one foot and place it in front of the other.Regardless, the promise of food, a shower, and naked time together was one hell of a motivator. “I’m good,” I promised.
“That was never in doubt.” Franklin leaned over and kissed my temple. I’d never get tired of the PDA or the fact that Franklin so casually touched me where all and sundry could witness the action. Franklin’s casual touch was a gift I’d never fully get used to.
Dinner consisted of a trip through the Dairy Queen drive-thru. Franklin wanted me to get more than a soda, fries, and ice cream, but I figured that’s all my stomach could handle for tonight. He ordered the chicken finger basket, and I held his food while he ate and drove.
We arrived to a darkened home. Phlox and Leon hadn’t left any lights on inside. Thankfully, the outside lights were on an automatic timer. Miss Pattycakes was outside and barked when we pulled in. I called out, letting her know it was just Franklin and me, and she quickly settled. Not long after, I heard Mrs. Hart open her door and call Miss Patty inside.
“Have you ever thought about getting a pet?” Franklin asked as we climbed the steps to the front door.
I twisted my head, staring up at him. “Why do you ask? Do you want one?” I wasn’t necessarily opposed. I’d even considered rescuing Aurelia’s first pet, Little Fang, if things didn’t work out.
Franklin shrugged as we entered the house. “I wouldn’t mind now that we’re together. I know both of our schedules are unpredictable, but between the two of us, I figure we could manage. And if we get into a jam, I think your momma would be happy to come over and check on them.”
Slipping out of my coat, I laid it across the back of the couch before heading to the trash can in the kitchen. I’d carried in our empty takeout bags, and they needed disposed of before we got to the naked part of the evening.
“Maybe we should hold off deciding anything for a bit. Gaia only knows what kind of animal Peaches is going to foist on Aurelia next. Could be it will need rescuing.”
“I don’t want that to become a precedent.”
