“Poppy got to the scene first. She handled it.”
I pressed my palms to my eyes, pressing hard. “Has anyone found Butch?”
“The CA water patrol found him three days ago.”
Tears leaked from my eyes, hot against my flesh. I kept my hands over my eyes. “His wife…”
“Mina and Megan went to the funeral.” Alaric pulled me into his embrace as my shoulders began quaking. His blunt answers turned gentle, while he rubbed my back. “I’m so sorry, Faith. I’m so sorry.”
I wept quietly against his chest and held him tight against me. I gasped. “He’s the only person who cared about me for so long.”
“I know.” He bent and pressed kisses along the top of my head. “We’ll go see his grave soon. Okay, beauty?”
I sniffled and nodded against his chest.
A quiet throat cleared behind me.
I dried my eyes and rubbed at my face. “Cass?”
“It’s me.” His tone was gentle.
“Joshua wanted me to give you a message.” I sighed heavily and then turned into my husband’s embrace. “He said to leave the lava rock alone. There’s some horrible beast that will be awakened if you move it.”
Surprise and recognition flashed in his eyes.
He nodded gradually. “Interesting.”
“Yes, the seer is definitely that. And a million other horrible things.” I waved a weak hand at him. “Come and block him again. He’s messing with me.”
Cass stepped next to me and pressed his hand to my forehead. He flinched and glared at my head. “Fuck him.”
“What is it?” Alaric asked.
“No problem. Just hold on.”
Cass’s eyes glowed white suddenly, his grasp on my head tightening. He stared at the back of his hand for a full minute until he smirked and released me.
He stated, “She’s all good now. The bastard just left me a little zap-gift to work around this time.”
Alaric growled, “Are you sure she’s okay?”
“He’s gone. You have my word.”
I nodded and then moved toward the door. “We need to go. Or that pizza girl is going to die.”
A pot banged downstairs, heavy against a floor.
“What did you just say?” Theron shouted.
Alaric grimaced. “This is going to get ugly.”
I cleared my throat and regularly spoke, “Theron, the seer told me that if I didn’t go to rescue the pizza girl, then she was going to die. She’s supposed to live with Rune afterward.”
More pots crashed from downstairs.
Theron bellowed, “No food for you today. Get up and come on.” A bare second, enough for breath. “You three, get your asses down here right now! We’re leaving.”
