Page 83 of Another Damned Storm

“Then they can stay in the compound and mind their own goddamn business.”

Silence stretched between them, the air thick with tension. I wanted to understand where my brother was coming from, but to be honest, I was still a little shocked that he was on the human side of this whole division. After everything they’d been through together, I would have figured he would have Lily’s back no matter what.

“Did something happen between you two that we need to know about?” I asked.

Matt shot me a look that cut deep. “Twenty-six years happened.” He shifted his attention to the cabin and zeroed in on Angie. “We should get back”

The girl stared at her dad. “What if I don’t want to go?”

“You want to stay here?” he asked in disbelief.

Her gaze bounced between him and Lily. “I want to go to Salus.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“I’m old enough to make decisions for myself.”

“Not this one. It is too dangerous.”

She pulled herself up to her full height, which was easily a head shorter than him. “More dangerous than hiding who I really am, Dad? More dangerous than being locked in a place with people who might kill me if they find out the truth?”

Anger rolled off him. “This is not the time or place for this discussion, Angie, and you know it.”

“I think it is,” Lily cut in. “You’ve gotten lucky so far, but for as powerful as her mother was, it’s only a matter of time before she comes into her own magic. Then what do you think will happen?”

“Hold the phone.” My gaze ping-ponged between the trio. “Angie’s mom was a shifter?”

“A witch,” Lily answered.

Oh. And apparently a strong one. “What kind of magic are we talking about?

“It doesn’t matter,” Matt said. “Angie and I need to return to Rutledge, where I will talk to our people.”

“But—”

“Enough.” He sliced his hand through the air, cutting her argument off cold. “Do I need to remind you again that you’re only fifteen? That means, one, you still have to do what I say. And two, if you do come into any magical powers, which we don’t even know for sure will happen, it won’t be for at least another few months.”

Lily bit her bottom lip hard enough to turn the delicate flesh pale. “You know sixteen isn’t set in stone.”

He turned to us. “We need to go back. Now.”

“Of course,” Hook said coolly. He glanced down at me. “Will you be okay for a short while?”

“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

When they were gone, Lily sank down onto one of the wooden chairs she and Angie had brought out of the cabin. “That man is living in denial.”

“I only spoke with Fiona a couple of times,” Emerson said, resting a big hand on her shoulder. “But I’m inclined to agree with you.”

“She was that powerful?” I asked. To be fair, I knew less about witches than I did about shifters, and my expertise on that front was wanting.

Lily nodded before letting her head fall back.

Emerson dipped his head and gave her shoulder a brief squeeze before letting go. “Unfortunately, I should get going too. I need to bring the others up to speed on things.”

“Are you guys going to do anything about Lapalme?” It was cool having a primordial demon on our side and all, but it wouldn’t do much good if he and his Brethren just hung out on the sidelines waiting to see how things turned out.

“We will, I just can’t say what yet.” He looked pointedly between me and Lily. “If you can wait to launch your offensive, I would. At least until I’ve had a chance to confer with the others. Lapalme is a formidable opponent, and for as weak as Thrain may be compared to his former glory, he is still a god.”