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Cowboy let loose a shrill whistle.

I felt a pulse of magic pass over me as the witches set to work. The glaive gave me reach without needing to get too close to my opponents. I wanted to stay outside the range of their claws and fangs. The closer I was, the greater the chance I’d have to hurt them. Whatever damage I inflicted, I wanted them to be able to heal on their own or have Dr. Adam heal them later.

I used the blunt end of the glaive to knock a werewolf away from Gage.

“The blade’s on the other end,” the Love Talker said.

“I’m aware, and you’re welcome.”

He shook his head as he punched another werewolf.

“We need to get to Keith,” I told him. “He’s the one lurking at the back by himself.”

Gage’s eyes narrowed. “Coward.”

No argument there. “Where’s Harriet?”

Vale appeared on my left. “On the beach where we came ashore,” the demigod said. “She’s setting up for the ritual.”

The gunfire fell quiet. I looked at the square and saw a line of weapons floating in midair. Meemaw and the other witches had used their magic to seize control of them.

“Get those weapons!” Keith shouted.

“Keep them out of reach,” I yelled. While his minions were busy jumping in the air to try to retrieve their lost weapons, I had to lure Keith to the beach.

I streaked across the square, my anger building with every step. I didn’t uproot my entire life to end up in a place controlled by a shaggy dog with bad breath.

“You again,” Keith growled.

“Did you miss me?” I used the glaive to slice across his abdomen. Not enough to kill him, but certainly enough to get his attention.

Then I kept running.

Keith may have god’s blood, but he was still a werewolf. If I ran, he would most certainly chase.

One quick glance over my shoulder proved my theory correct. Surprisingly, he wasn’t in his wolf form. I wondered whether it was Hypnos’s blood somehow preventing the shift. He had to be calling upon a lot of his power to manipulate so many Neighbors at once.

In the distance, a bonfire burned, and beside it, a single silhouette.

Harriet.

I ran toward the light. My shoes sank awkwardly as they hit the sand. Keith wasn’t far behind me.

The werewolf stopped at the line of sand to catch his breath. Apparently, Hypnos’s blood wasn’t as helpful with cardio.

“What is all this?” he demanded.

“A ritual to help relieve you of Hypnos’s blood,” I replied.

“I already told you I have no interest in that. Don’t you listen?”

“Not generally, no. It’s one of my worst qualities.”

He puffed out his chest, then paused to cough. “I’m the god of this island now. No one can stop me, not even you.”

“You’ve heard of the Fates, right? Your abuse of power isn’t going to sit right with them.”

“You think those three old hags are going to be a threat to me?” He belly-laughed. “I have the blood of a god. They have nothing but string and scissors.”