He sat up straight and shot the rest of his drink down. “I went to talk to one, and three decided to attack before I’d barely asked any questions. Two didn’t make it.” Matter-of-fact, blunt, devoid of emotion.
“And the third?” Josh asked.
“Cloaked herself and disappeared. Wounded but she will live.”
“Why?”
He turned to look at me, perplexed. “I did what had to be done.”
“I meant why did they attack you?”
“Because they had something they were desperate to hide, I assume.”
He’d been forced to kill his own kind and witches, when all he wanted to do was find Sarah, get the grimoire back, and live in peace. He’d done that to save us all from heading into war. To protect me. To protect all of us.
He stood abruptly and cracked his neck. “Get some sleep. We begin training after lunch, Amelia.”
My eyes fell to the blood streaked across the back of his arm as he walked out of the room.
Perhaps the war had already begun.
Chapter 37
Family
“Here, let me take those for you.” Josh’s voice floated through the room.
Followed by Karson’s low growl. “What have I told you, Mary, about having groceries delivered.”
“We have the dinner tonight and I wanted to collect a few things from the market.”
The dinner.
I stood and moved into the foyer as Josh eased four paper bags loaded with food from Mary’s hands.
She rubbed her blue-tinged fingers together. “Thank you, dear, these old bones don’t like the cold much.”
Karson stood midway up the stairs, scowling. “Then tell me and I can arrange someone to collect them.”
Mary arched a brow as her eyes took in the blood. “You look like you have more pressing issues.”
Josh’s lips quirked. “Nothing wrong with your eyesight, Mary.”
“No, there is nothing wrong with my muscles either, nor my mind. I’m more than capable of carrying a few bags of groceries,” she huffed.
“That is not the point,” Karson responded. “I will not see you worked to the bone.”
She waved a hand, dismissing his protest. “I love going to the market.”
Josh’s face fell. Strange, why would he care if Mary loved the market? Unless he wanted to go too.
“Now go and shower and get some sleep, and let me do what I enjoy doing.”
“Is there more in the car?” I asked, biting back my grin at the look of annoyance on Karson’s face.
Mary nodded as she removed her plastic rain jacket. “Only a couple more bags.”
“I’ll grab them.”
