“Yep!” She pulls her hand out of her pocket, and there are two charm discs in her palm. Reaching behind her back with the other, she produces the cuffs. “We can go in pairs. Are we activating out here or closer to the property?”
I take one of the discs and the cuffs, then look at the guys, who are silently waiting for instructions. “I think I should drive up. I’ve stopped by unexpectedly once before, so it might not trip too many red flags.”
“I don’t like it.” Gray crosses his arms over his chest.
“Me either. Can we just sneak in and slit his throat?” Felix offers.
Told you he was a killer, Percy singsongs.
“We can’t just sneak into the house, not when he has the place shielded. Percy said his wards are strong. We either need him to come out, or we need him to allow us to come in,” I remind them.
“Damnit,” Gray curses.
“I think it’s our best bet. Who knows what he will do to Remy and Aisling if we go in full tilt? If he thinks I’m alone—”
You won’t be alone, dear witch.Percy interrupts me with the reminder. It’s not that I forgot about him, it’s more that he’s become a part of me.
“Good, I doubt he knows any other minks that would gnaw through his Achilles’ heel either.” Gray tips his head respectfully to Percy.
“If he thinks it’s only us, he may assume he has the upper hand and drop the shield, allowing the rest of you to get inside without him realizing it,” I continue.
When no one argues, I hand a charm disc over to Gray. “This will only stop you from being seen, not heard or felt, so be mindful of your surroundings,” I warn them. “Are you okay if Felix shares yours?”
Nash nods. “Yeah, that works.
We climb back into the car with me in the driver’s seat this time. “I’ll drop you guys as close as I can, then drive slowly the rest of the way up so you can stay with the car.”
“What’s the plan once we get inside?” Nash asks.
“Find Remy and detain Bursa, preferably in that order, but getting Bursa locked down so he can’t use magic might be more pertinent.”
“Shouldn’t one of us have the cuffs then?” Felix suggests.
“If you think you can get close enough to him without him noticing, slip them on. Moving around in a confined space with the charm will probably be tough.”
“I’ll take the cuffs,” Nash says, approving of the plan. While I trust Gray and Felix to knock the guy out, I don’t know if they have enough finesse to get him locked down, but she does.
“Okay,” I agree.
When I can just make out the Doby house in the distance, I warn everyone, “I turned off the interior lights, but be quick getting out and don’t slam the doors.”
“We’re good. Please be careful,” Felix murmurs with his hand on my shoulder.
“I will, you too.” I wish I could give him a hug or a kiss, but I have to settle for the brief touch instead.
I stop the car and they pile out swiftly as instructed, and once Felix jogs around the vehicle to be closer to Nash, the three of them disappear right before my eyes. I continue down the drive as if I never stopped.
The anxious feeling is eating away at my stomach again. I want to hit the gas hard and tear into the house so I can demand he give me Remy and Aisling, but I know I can’t. Instead, I focus on keeping my breathing steady and even, trying to come up with a viable reason I might show up this late at night.
The moment I turn off the car, I open my door. Magic blasts me, stronger than ever before. It confirms my assumptions. Without my shield amulet, I feel Percy’s nails clawing into my shoulder as he clings to me, but it’s easy to ignore.
“Are you here?” My lips barely move as I whisper.
“Here,” Gray whispers softly, panting. Maybe I was going too fast. I don’t have time to feel bad now. The porch light flicks on before the front door creaks open slowly.
Eugene, or at least his visage, is standing behind the screen, silhouetted against the doorframe. Seeing him now, I don’t know how I ever fell for the old man act.
I stand rooted in place, waiting for him to say something, anything, but he just looks at me from the shadows of the house. My first step forward is measured, because I’m half expecting him to slam the door in my face. When he doesn’t, I grow a little more confident in my stride.
