We got in and I rubbed his knee.“Congratulations.That’s fantastic, and a huge order.”
He dropped his hand onto mine and squeezed as he pulled out of his parking lot and onto the main road.“Thanks, love.”A half minute later, he was turning into the gallery parking lot.He gestured with his other hand.“Whose car is that?”
I shrugged.“I don’t recognize it.Maybe someone left their car here and went for a walk.”
He parked beside Bracken’s SUV, and we went through the gate to the deck.
“Arwyn!”I was suddenly wrapped in a hug.Luckily for me, my Aunt Elizabeth knew not to touch any exposed skin, like my neck and face.Uncle Robert mostly stood behind his wife but wrapped an arm around me as well.His eyes widened as he looked down at my stomach.He was a wicche healer.Of course he picked up on the little one.When I nodded, he glowed, turning to shake Declan’s hand.
I didn’t think Elizabeth and Frank caught what was happening.Faith already knew but she was standing farther down the deck, close to Cecil’s home.She waved at the water and walked toward the group.
“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but why the hugs?”I asked.
Declan and Robert were standing apart from the group, talking quietly.
Elizabeth took my hand and pulled me toward the bench where Frank sat.He looked a little embarrassed but grateful.I had no idea what was happening.
“She came last night,” Frank explained.“We’d all finally gone to bed.It was a stressful night.Faith woke up a little before two.”
His sister took over the telling of it.“I was wide awake.”She snapped her fingers.“Out of nowhere.I felt something weird in my stomach and knew it was the wards.I don’t know why.”
I nodded.“We created them, so we feel it when they’ve been crossed or messed with.”
“I went to my window,” she continued, “and saw her standing in the middle of the street.It was like you said.She was dressed in dark clothes, a hood hiding her face, one hand moving while the other was fisted around something.”
“She called me,” Frank said.“I wasn’t really asleep, so I was up and in her room in a few seconds.”
“Robert and I were trying to sleep,” Elizabeth put in, “but every little house settling noise had us awake.As Frank said, a stressful night.We heard Faith hiss something, then heard Frank’s door open and his footsteps, so we were out of bed in a flash too.”
“I couldn’t see her spell like you can,” Faith said, “but I know it didn’t work.”
Frank huffed out a laugh.“She was pissed about it too.”
Faith nodded.“She stomped across the street and tried to step onto the lawn.”
“Big mistake,” Frank laughed.
They shared a look, grinning.
Elizabeth squeezed my hand.“When she tried to cross the property line, she flew back into the street.”
“Flew!”Frank echoed with a laugh.
Faith made an arcing motion with her hand.“Like she was catapulted across the street.“She landed kind of on the bumper of a car.It looked like it hurt.”
“She also set off the car alarm,” Frank said, “so she was limp-running away from the sound.”
“We couldn’t see if she had a car waiting to pick her up,” Robert added, “or if she’d parked down the street.We were happy the wards worked and she was knocked on her butt.”
“If you hadn’t insisted on warding the car and the house last night,” Elizabeth said, her eyes glassy with tears, “I don’t want to think about what she could have done.”
“We want to thank you,” Robert said, walking over to rub his wife’s shoulder.
I waved away their thanks.“It’s important that you’re all protected.”I looked at Faith.“I woke up at the same time you did.I checked all our windows, trying to find her, but she wasn’t there.”I rubbed my gloved hand over my forehead.“There’s something, though, that doesn’t make sense.”
The gate beside us opened and Bracken walked in.“Is it how she knew where this family lived and why they were important?I’ve been wondering the same.Did I lead her there when I went to dinner?”He glanced around.“Sorry to interrupt and to eavesdrop.I was working.”He gestured to his RV, which was only a few feet from the gate.“I leave the windows open so I can listen to the surf.”
“You’re always included and invited,” I told him.
