At the mention of “druid,” Lynn flinched. The kid, Geoff, even stepped back a pace. These people were wary, and they should be. Other than my mother and I, they didn’t trustdruids.
“He’s good, like my mother was. He wants to protect us,” I interjected. “He’s also training me.” Isaac wouldn’t hurt them, and I needed them to know that and not treat himdifferently.
She nodded. “Okay, then. If you trust them, I trust them. We’re just so used to being alone. Beingwary.”
Logan nodded at that. “And you should be, but not of these people. Come on, let’s meetthem.”
‘I used my connection to tell the pack that they are in fact all skyborn,’Logan told me. I’ll bet Sophie was freakingout.
And with that, we led the family of three, soon to be four, out to meet thepack.
I forgot about the awed reverence the pack had in the presence of skyborn. They’d had it with me in the beginning, and now with Lynn and her family. Sophie just stood there, mouth slightly open, staring at the baby bump, and the way Lynn cradledit.
Roxy and Ruben, wearing giddy grins and their eyes half lidded, looked like they were either super elated or very stoned. I noticed Gear circling the skies, and Dominic crouched on the roof of the bus, looking up and down the street forthreats.
“Is that your bus?” Lynn asked and I nodded, adjusting the grip on my staff. No need to go into semantics now. Technically, it wasIsaac’s.
Lynn leaned in, sniffed Sophie and then smiled. “I haven’t been around a shifter in ages.” She looked excited to be around other supernaturalsagain.
Sophie looked puzzled. “Why didn’t you try to get some protectiondetail?”
Lynn and her husband shared a look, then Lynn looked at her son Geoff and smiled. “Tell you later,” she told Sophie, and Sophienodded.
There was a story there for sure, one not meant for children’sears.
“I’m Tony.” The father reached out and shook Keegan’s hand. He must have instinctively known he was the alpha, although he kept risking glances up at Dominic, with his wild rooftop perch and gunned-outglory.
We can’t take you anywhere,I thought silently to Dominic, even though he couldn’t hearme.
“Lynn, why don’t you and Geoff get on the bus and I’ll follow you in the car?” Tony kissed his pregnant wife’scheek.
“No sir,” Keegan interjected. “I’ll take your car and follow behind. I need you all to stick together. It’ssafer.”
Tony looked at the alpha for a moment and then nodded, handing him the keys to an old Toyota Camry in the driveway. “Not used to having protection,” headded.
“Well, get used to it. We’re going to make sure you guys are safe from now on. All of you,” Logan said and his words hit me then.All of you.We needed to track down all of the skyborn and let them know we could help them. Especially if their magic necklaces were wearingoff.
Lynn waddled onto the bus with her husband’s help, as Isaac crossed the front lawn with Keegan to stand on either side of Logan andI.
“We need to track down all of the skyborn. My mother made them all necklaces with her power in it that kept them appearing human, but it’s wearing off now. They’re all atrisk.”
Keegan nodded and then looked at Logan. “We’re going to need more shifters. A lotmore.”
Sophie must have been listening in, because she peeked her head over Keegan’s shoulder. “I’ll call Daddy. He has the updatedlist.”
Daddy.Of course Sophie called her fatherdaddy. I suppressed the eye roll that was twitching at the edge of myeyelids.
Isaac looked over his shoulder at the other skyborn retreating onto the bus and then lowered his voice. “If Ardan is building an army, then why shouldn’twe?”
Sometimes I thought Isaac was all tree-hugging and rainbows, and then he said stuff likethat.
Keegan grinned, as if building a shifter army would bring him great joy. “I’m on it. I’ll meet you back at Isaac’s land inCalifornia.”
Sophie made a whining noise and Keegan groaned. “Fine, you cancome.”
“Eeeep!” she squealed, jumping up anddown.
He pointed a finger at her. “But no choosing warriors just because they’rehot.”
