Immediately, Daniel faced the threat, his hands clutching me to his back. Keeping me close. Protected.
That hurt so much.
He wanted to protect me. Even though I was angry with him.
A man just…appeared in the doorway. He was cloaked in shadow. The house shuddered around us. The police chief seemed unperturbed, but Daniel crouched in front of me as though he were preparing to spring.
“Where is she?” the man said, his voice hollow and powerful, brimming with what must be magic.
“Bernard, shitcan the sorcerer antics. Now’s not the time.”
Bernard?
The shadows vanished, leaving my Uncle Bernie standing there.
“Bernie?” I asked, peeking around Daniel’s shoulder.
His gaze found mine and the dangerous lights dancing in his eyes faded. “Cari-girl, what on earth have you gotten yourself into while I was gone?”
I gave him an honest answer. “I’m not sure even I understand.”
Daniel straightened and moved out of the way, drawing Bernie’s attention to him.
“Ayres, thank you for taking care of my niece, but you have a lot of explaining to do. For example, why in the hell is she staying here instead of at the cottage Bethany willed to her?”
The set of Daniel’s shoulders was stiff. “It’s been a pleasure to spend time with your niece. I’m afraid there was an…issue that has since been resolved. She’s free to return to Bethany’s cottage when she wishes.”
His words cut me. I inhaled from the depth of the pain.
I didn’t look at anyone else as I walked toward Bernie, but I could feel Daniel’s eyes on me. And Poppy’s. I was pretty sure even the police chief was staring at me.
“Are you okay, Uncle Bern?” I asked him as I got closer.
“Not quite, but I’m getting there, Cari-girl.”
I loved his nickname for me. I realized in that moment how much I’d missed him this week. I took two more steps, and I was in his arms.
“I missed you this week,” I said, hugging him tightly.
“I missed you, too.” He released me, his dark brown eyes moving over my face. As always, he could tell something was wrong.
But he also seemed to understand that now wasn’t the time.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
I wanted to look over my shoulder. To see if Daniel seemed upset by the idea, but my brain was a mess of information that I didn’t understand.
Instead, I nodded.
I followed him out of the house.
And I didn’t look back.
19
The next morning, I sat on the back porch of Bethany’s cottage, rocking on the porch swing. My third cup of coffee for the morning was cupped in my hands as I watched the sunrise over the hills behind Bethany’s…well,mycottage.
It was my third cup of coffee because I’d woken up from a dream at three a.m.
