Jono said it with a sureness that he’d never give up. He tried to impart that in his voice, knowing it came through his scent, even if Eloise and her family would never be able to smell it. Sage could, and she gave him a slow nod of agreement from her spot on the armchair. Marek had taken the floor in front of the chair, leaning against her legs so she could stroke her fingers through his hair.
The pair hadn’t left each other’s sides since being reunited after the fight. True to Reed’s word, he’d kept Marek safe, not wanting to have to explain the death of the seer to the governmentandSage. Marek had been overseeing PreterWorld from home, having ordered everyone in the company to work remote during the recovery process.
“Did Finley stay in Salem?” Jono asked.
“He’s in DC for some meetings on behalf of our coven. We’ll join him there tomorrow,” Eloise said.
“Won’t Congress be mad you’ll be a day late?”
“We’re meeting with the SOA, actually.”
Jono was well aware of her anger toward Patrick’s agency, so he wasn’t surprised she was delaying that meeting and letting her son handle the initial contact in her stead. “What do they want?”
“We’re confirming the timeline for everything that happened in Salem, starting with my abduction.” Eloise pressed her lips together before sighing softly. “I don’t like talking about it, but needs must.”
“How are you doing with all of that?”
She reached up to tuck a stray piece of pale ginger hair behind her ear. Her hairdo had been slightly disturbed by the wind upon her arrival, the chill outside enough these days that Jono had turned the heat on in anticipation of this visit.
“I’m…okay,” Eloise admitted.
“We got her checked out by a healer after the fight in Salem was over. She needs more rest but should make a full recovery,” Grant said, offering up more details.
“I’m pleased to hear that,” Jono said.
“What about the Salem nexus?” Sage asked.
Madelyn shared a look with her mother before choosing to answer. “The government is insisting they take over control of it. My brothers are reluctant, but Mother and I think it’s the right step. We don’t have many mages in the coven, and it’s clear that the generational wards ultimately failed.”
“Knowing now how we were complicit in Hannah’s pain isn’t something I think I’ll ever forgive myself for,” Eloise admitted.
Jono shook his head. “The only one who deserves blame is Ethan. You didn’t know your granddaughter was still alive. You couldn’t have known how he was using her against you.”
“Perhaps. But we want to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again to our family, or to anyone else’s.”
Jono couldn’t tell her that he didn’t think it ever would because of the memories that had been stolen by the gods. Ethan’s desires had remained in the global consciousness if the news was anything to go by, but the details of his attempts to turn himself into a god would be forever forgotten. These days, everyone thought Ethan had been after the cumulative power of the nexuses. Jono was fine with everyone believing that god-perpetuated lie.
“Protection of the Salem nexus has been our responsibility for generations. That task has defined our family and coven for so long that I’m worried how we’ll be perceived in its absence,” Grant said.
“Magic evolves. So must we,” Eloise said gently. Grant let out a heavy sigh and nodded at his mother’s words.
“Okay, I have flower tea, grass tea, and some black tea that tastes like char, but no iced tea because Jono thinks that’s a crime against humanity,” Wade called out from the kitchen. “Who wants what?”
Jono sighed heavily and stared up at the ceiling. “I promise we’ve been teaching him manners.”
Madelyn laughed softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “I think Wade would get along well with the kids. You’ll have to bring him the next time you come visit.”
Jono just smiled, not promising anything at the moment. He was bound to New York City when not summoned to DC for the foreseeable future. He had no desire to go anywhere else, not without Patrick. Madelyn seemed to understand that, because her smile became a little wistful.
Jono didn’t bother raising his voice when he answered Wade. “Just bring the whole lot.”
“How has it been in New York?” Eloise asked after a moment.
“We’re recovering. Slowly, but we are.”
He wasn’t willing to go into details with the Pattersons. As much as they were Patrick’s family, none of them were close, despite how much he knew Eloise wanted to be. His pack’s ties to them ran through Patrick, and Jono was content to wait until he returned to get to know them.
“All right, I have yourkettle-boiled water,” Wade announced as he came out with mugs and tea boxes stacked on a cutting board in one hand and the kettle in the other, with a trivet hanging from one finger.
