He gestured to the café.“Hester has an extra stool back there for me, but it’s been too busy for that.She rarely ever sits back there either.She’s the one you should make sit down.I isolate muscle groups to flex and exercise while I stand here.”He shrugged one beefy shoulder.“It’s only two shifts a week.I’m fine.”
“Okay,” I said.“So, what’s up?”
He opened the front door, the original heavy metal door of the cannery, so we could see out at the road and the trees beyond.“I can’t see anyone.With all this traffic going back and forth, I can’t smell anything.But I know damn well there was someone across the street watching us all day.”
Declan hit the back of Carter’s shoulder and said, “Let’s go.”They both tore off, leaping over the porch railing and racing across the street, dodging cars without slowing.
The last customers left.I wished them a good evening, but my focus was really across the street where Declan and Carter were prowling.Before I knew it, Robert, Elizabeth, Hester, and Bracken were all standing with me.
“Frank and Faith?”I asked.
“They’re doing their close-up duties and filling in,” Elizabeth said.
“What happened?”Robert asked.
I shook my head, eyes still glued on the men across the street.“I’m not positive.When Bracken and I came in after warding your car, we sensed someone hiding over there.Bracken sent a spell that caused a little pain.I think we both hoped that would encourage them to go.”
I glanced at the people lined up beside me and got a little choked up.These epiphanies hit at the strangest times.I wasn’t alone anymore, and it didn’t look as though I ever would be again, which was an incredible thought.“Carter told us he’d felt someone watching the gallery all day.The car fumes made it impossible for him to identify who was over there, but he felt it, so he and Declan went to investigate.”
Bracken leaned on the railing, his gaze trained on the men stomping through the brush.“We need to ward Hester’s car as well.They’re far too interested in what goes on over here.”
“Oh, I don’t want to be a bother,” Hester said.“I doubt anyone even notices me.”
Bracken turned at that.“Nonsense.You’re a member of this family and we protect our own.”
I nodded.“What he said.We’ll do it when the guys get back.”
Cars continued to cross back and forth on the main road, but we were all looking over and around them, our eyes glued to Declan and Carter.
“They don’t seem to be finding anyone,” Robert murmured.
No.Unfortunately, they did not.
TWENTY-THREE
Shut Up, Both of You!
Ahowl began and was cut short.I didn’t think.I was over the rail and racing across the street.I saw cars in my peripheral, but I was focused on the sound of Declan in pain.It reverberated in my head.Past the berm, I jumped over a narrow gully and plunged into the bushes.
“Declan!”Heart thumping out of my chest, I scanned the trees but didn’t see either one of them.
“Over here,” Carter called.
I followed his voice and found him crouched beside Declan, who was covered in angry red welts.I dropped to my knees beside him.“What happened?”
“I think I walked through a spell,” Declan growled.“I caught a scent and was following it.Right into a nest of invisible wasps.”He shook his head and winced.
“I know this spell,” Bracken said, moving into the small clearing beside me.“It’s in the Corey family grimoire.”He twirled his hand, then made a yanking motion.
The stings covering Declan’s face, neck, and hands disappeared.He slumped in relief.“Much better.”Standing, he pulled me with him.“Thank you, Bracken.”
“Of course.”He studied the trees and bushes around us.“Could you point me in the direction of the spell they set?I need to get rid of it before some poor, unsuspecting person walks into it.”
Carter pointed back toward the road.“Between that first tall tree and that flowering bush.Dec ended up here, trying to outrun the stings.”
Bracken walked back that way and said, “Ah.I see the edges of it.Give me a moment.”
While he worked, I crushed Declan’s hand in mine.“You scared the hell out of me when you howled.”
