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“None for you,” Ari said. “I can smell the animal blood on you.”
Soren frowned and sniffed himself. “Really? I’m usually a meticulous eater.”
“Gross.” I unwrapped the package and took a bite of the roast beef sandwich. “Thank you,” I said with my mouth full.
“You’re welcome. Eat all of that and then we’ll take you to your psycho mother.”
“Yay,” Soren said before closing his eyes once more.
Chapter
Thirty-Four
We stood outside the dead zone, looking in. Ari had left us with a stern warning. “I’ll be close by watching. When you’re ready for me to tear down the ward, lift your left arm and give me the peace sign.” Before I could say a word, she disappeared.
“Your friend kind of sucks,” Soren observed.
I glanced at him. “She shouldn’t have to risk her life because of something that happened in my past. This has nothing to do with her.”
Soren grunted. “Did it have anything to do with Evie?”
My jaw clenched.
“Or Tess or Ash?”
“Point made,” I snapped. “I still don’t blame her for leaving. We aren’t as close as the others.”
“I’d keep it that way.”
“Don’t make me punch you.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
I snorted. “Ass.”
He snagged me in for a one-armed hug. “What’s the plan?”
“Watch for a while.”
“Alright. Our asses are going to get wet.”
“Then you should have worn older clothes.”
“How you wound me, Moira. These are my dating joggers. I didn’t expect to use them for sitting in the mud.”
I rolled my eyes and parked my ass in the dirt, gently moving aside some evergreen branches so I could keep a close eye on the place.
“Is your mom an introvert?” Soren asked a couple of hours later. “Is she holed up inside with snacks and a good book?”
“More like holed up with prisoners and shock collars,” I muttered.
Soren glanced at me. “She hurt you, didn’t she? Many times.”
I lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Does it matter?”
“Why wouldn’t it? We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“You’re only here because you’re required to be.”
