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Realizing she was being addressed, Ruth setdown her tea cup and smiled. “What’s that, dear? We’ve got crows?”

“Clothes,”she enunciated.

“Oh, my shows.” She reached for her cane. “I had better put my hearing aid in then. Where did I leave that?”

“Nice,” Dane remarked as Ruth shuffled out of the kitchen.

Juniper scoffed. “Like you haven’t enjoyed having a roof over your head and real food in your stomach these last few days. Don’t act so high and mighty. You robbed a church.”

“All right, you two,” Adriel chided.

“Churches like to help the needy.”

“Yeah, I’m sure it’s one of their commandments to give drifters all their sacramental wine. Could you be any more of a hypocrite?”

“Can someone please tell me what started this?”

“Nothing—”

“She’s planning to kill Jonas!”

The room silenced, and Adriel looked at Juniper in shock. “Is that true?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, choosing not to answer.

“Juniper?”

“What?” she snapped defensively. “He’s suffering. It would be the merciful thing to do.”

“Mercy would be reversing the spell, not killing him!” Dane yelled.

“No one is killing anyone. You two are friends. Where is this hostility coming from?”

“Why do you even care, Dane? They threw you out like yesterday’s garbage.”

“The Hartzlers didn’t have anything to do with me leaving. They gave me a home when I had none. You would be hurting his family, and they don’t deserve that.”

Juniper’s eyes narrowed. “This is about that vampire chick, Grace, isn’t it?”

Adriel pinched the bridge of her nose. “For the last time, Juniper, we’re immortals, not vampires.”

“That bitch is a vampire!”

“Hey!” Dane snapped. “Leave Gracie out of this!”

“Oh, now it’s Gracie? How many immortals were you sleeping with on that farm.”

His scowl darkened, and Adriel stepped between them. “That’s enough, Juniper. Apologize.”

“For what? Jonas killed my Aunt Mabel. His bloodsucking daughter killed my Aunt Venus.” Her scowl turned on Dane. “When you wanted revenge on Isaiah, I helped you. You owe me.”

“That may be true, but there’s no way I’m letting you hurt Gracie.”

“I regret ever bringing you here.”

“All right!” Adriel blocked her view of Dane and cupped her face, looking directly into her eyes. “Take a breath.”

“I don’t need to breathe!”