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Seraphine’s eyes widen and the smile on her face turns saccharine at him having spoken to her.

“Why would you do such a thing? You can’t honestly say you don’t miss me. We had something special and I won’t allow you to throw it away. I came here to apologize again. Just give me ten minutes of your time, Gideon.Please.”

My eyes are burning holes in Seraphine, but she seems reluctant to meet my gaze.

Gideon shakes his head, not even speaking to her, but to Harlan.

“At what point am I within my rights to shoot someone trespassing on my property?”

Serpahine’s head tips back with laughter.

“Jesus, I forgot how fucking dramatic you are.”

Harlan scowls, voice dropping low enough so that only we can hear him.

“I’m afraid you can’t unless she threatens you with bodily harm, but I can certainly arrest her.”

Sacred fuck, this is getting so very far out of hand.

I might detest this woman, but a certain epiphany settles over me, as if I’m realizing it for the very first time. I’m a fucking goddess. A goddess of healing and fertility, and I have the power to put an end to this madness. My words come out in an abrupt rush.

“I’ll speak with you.”

Fear and uncertainty flicker in Seraphine’s eyes as I step forward, only to be yanked backward by Gideon who looks at me like I’ve just grown another head.

“The fuck you will.”

I give him a bored look, tugging him aside so that only he can hear me.

“She can’t hurt me, remember?”

Gideon’s expression remains hard as stone. “Doesn’t matter what she can and can’t do to you. I don’t want you near her under any circumstances.”

My brow tenses. “Gideon Kincaid, it’s not your decision to make.”

“If your safety’s involved, it sure as shit is.”

“If she so much as lifts a finger in my direction, I’ll tear her throat out.”

“You’ll have to forgive me if I’d rather avoid putting you in that kind of situation in the first place. Is there a reason why you don’t want Harlan to arrest her?”

My eyes shift between the rest of our group. Sheriff Harlan watching Seraphine, Beau whispering to Gertie, presumably about what exactly this bizarre situation is, and Levi watching me with an openly curious, narrowed gaze.

When my eyes return to Gideon’s I heave a sigh. “Let’s say we let Harlan arrest her. Then what? I’m not entirely sure how your justice system works here, but in mine, in order to actually keep her in there it would mean you, yourself would actually have to go through the painstaking process of attending a trial,with her,only for her to be imprisoned for a fleeting period of time and then what? We go through this all over again?”

Gideon’s gaze holds mine, lips pressing into a firm line of frustration at my logic.

“Winnow baby, I love your intentions, but the woman is mentally unwell–

I press a finger to his lips, cutting him off.

“Exactly, and have you forgotten already that I am a goddess of healing?”

Gideon frowns.“No.”

“So, let me heal her.”

The scowl on Gideon’s face is adorable. “That damn woman doesn’t need a healer. What she needs is a fucking exorcist.”