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I had a break in between doing sessions, relieved that this last councilman had started taking things more seriously and put in the time to do the homework I’d given him. There had been a handful who hadn’t done anything and were being lazy. This one at least accepted the chastising I’d given and said I wouldn’t waste my time if they expected me to do all of the work.

I wasn’t as hopeful about the others. Maybe they could surprise me?

Cold dread fell over me. Something was wrong. Something was… Off.

Evil. The animals on the property were reacting to something evil being near the good of the place and the magic.

And then panic filled me when I heard the voice that haunted my nightmares bellow from the front gate. I didn’t hesitate, pressing the panic button on my phone—the app or whatever—to signal that shit was hitting the fan. Then I was probably stupid and raced through the house and out the front door to handle the situation—stall maybe until help arrived?

I wasn’t really sure, but I was sort of impressed with myself that I managed to move when I was so scared.

Then again, I was more terrified of the security dying because of me.

Rage and crazy unlike I’d ever seen filled Father’s eyes when he saw me. “I knew it. I knew you—this is all mine!”

“I understand you don’t follow any laws, Charles, but that’s not how things work,” I drawled.

His nostrils flared. “This was a Millen property that the Shaw family absorbed—it is legally mine and—”

“Not this one.” I shrugged. “Grandfather kept this one separate. He put it into a trust—I inherited.”

“You are mine too!” he roared.

“No, I’m mine ,” I sneered. “I am a person, not property, you pathetic piece of trash. You coward and cheat—”

“You will be quiet in my presence! You are not fit to—”

“Oh, shut the fuck up already,” I sighed, clearly losing my mind. Even my guards looked at me like I’d lost it. “You think you’re so amazing and I can’t speak in your presence. Are you like—you’re a bully and a loser. Not a god.”

“I figured out where you’ve been hiding, so you shouldn’t be so full of yourself, child,” he snarled.

“It took you months ,” I threw right back, laughing at him. “And Grandfather set it all up—I was coming to this property for years behind your back. All my life he had this set up for me and you were clueless.” I mockingly clapped. “Yes, well done. You finally figured out what was right in front of your face.”

He tried to step past the gate but couldn’t. He held out his hands and felt the magic, turning up his lip at me. “Brave words while hiding behind magic not yours like a coward.”

I snorted. “I don’t have a penis to worry about the size of it or if you’re goading me. I had to hide my magic so you didn’t steal it for Alex. Yes, I’m behind magically.” I shrugged. “So? That’s all you have? That I was smart enough to ask others for help and pay for magic you can’t unlock?”

He gave me an evil smile as two circles flared and people showed up. “I don’t need to when it’s mine. I did what any good, lawful citizen does and called the police.” He turned to one of the officers. “Yes, I was on my way to my hunting cabin when I realized that some of the property that I inherited hadn’t been checked on recently. And I found a squatter.”

I laughed. I full-out laughed. “So the deed is in your name? Has ever been in your name? It was listed on everything I inherited. That makes you a trespasser, not me a squatter, Charles.” I snorted when he warned me to shut up. “Wow, what a shame your sibling died for someone so fucking stupid and incompetent.”

“You’re already being sued for slander and more, Bevin. Do you want me to sue you next?” he snapped.

“Yes.” I nodded when he did a double take. “Yes, please give me reason to show the world in a High Council hearing that I have proof of what you’ve done. I already plan to show all of these officers are bought and paid for in the current lawsuit.” I glanced at the officers. “Yes, all of you. And yes, I have the proof. And yes , it’s all admissible in court. Fun, right?”

“Bevin Shaw, I have a warrant for your arrest,” one of the officers said. “Come off the property now to be detained or more charges will be added to—”

“Let me see that,” one of Taylor’s guys said, extending his arm over the line of the protection spell. He chuckled when the officer told him to stuff it and ordered me to come over. “Hand it over or we call other police next. If there’s nothing fishy going on here then—”

The cop handed it over. “Call whomever you want. It’s legal and she’s stolen this house—”

“Which the police don’t arrest people for,” he interrupted, but then chuckled. He dropped it on the ground over the line. “That’s for Bevin Shaw. You have the wrong person. That’s Bevin Millen.”

“She’s the same person and—” He was interrupted when several more circles flared.

I smirked at Father. “You think you were the only one who called people? Your sexism really is a handicap.”

“You will die for your betrayal, Bevin!” Father roared.

“Henry would be so disappointed in you, Charles,” Councilman Oliveria said from where he circled in with council guards. “Truly. He had such high hopes for you when you were a boy. To think you became—”

Father gathered magic too fast and I knew what he was about to do, doing the same quick draw that I’d been practicing. I had a lot already at my fingertips, ready from the moment I’d heard his voice, and I threw just the smallest amount at him to knock into him. His shot went wide and hit a tree left of the group.

And we all watched as it turned to ash, completely disintegrating.

He slowly looked at me, his face redder than I’d ever seen. “Your magic is unstable and out of control. You will come—”

“You can spin that however you want, but everyone here knows you were going to send that at a councilman because you are fucking insane ,” I hissed. “And the last person I’m going to agree to learn magic from is the man who kills to steal it. You were too fucking stupid to see I was hiding mine—too weak to understand what was going on. What could you teach me?”

“Don’t,” Taylor warned as he moved closer and put a gun to Father’s head. “Councilman, please step on the other side of the barrier where it’s safe.”

Councilman Oliveria snorted. “I’m not afraid of Charles Shaw. I came here with magic to protect me. He simply can’t sense it. He’s not as powerful as he thinks.”

“I suggest you leave and take your corrupt cops with you,” Taylor said firmly. “And grab that warrant so people get fired.”

The cop nearest to it burned it and gave a lame “whoops.”

While smirking at me. I just rolled my eyes. These guys were seriously too much and only terrifying because they’d go over the line.

Father’s gaze locked with mine. “This isn’t over, Bevin. I know where you are now.”

I shrugged. “You knew where I was at Morrigan too, but you couldn’t do anything there either. It must be hard to be so ineffective and unable to manage the slightest task, Charles.” I smirked at him as Taylor ordered one of the cops to set down a spell circle to take them out of there. “And yeah, it won’t be over until one of us dies. I just don’t think it will be me anymore.”

His eyes flashed with something almost like fear, but then he stepped into the circle and was gone.

I pointed to Taylor when Councilman Oliveria turned to me. “He told me to poke Charles. He said to push all of his buttons. He didn’t say not to if he showed up here. I went with my standing orders.”

He nodded. “I poked him as well.”

He might have had more to say, but the reality of what just happened hit me and I turned and threw up in the bushes. I really, really needed to get a handle on how I processed conflict before I ended up with an eating disorder. And I wasn’t making a joke.

I didn’t mean to at least. Was that how it worked?

Why couldn’t my anxiety or issues give me another side effect? It had to be the grossest one that wreaked havoc on my body? Seriously?

Councilman Oliveria helped me sit on the porch when I was done and handed me a bottle of water that someone else brought. “You are not weak, poppet. You have suffered . Ignore everyone else who might say nasty things about this being dramatic or too much. Many people have these physical triggers from their abuse.”

“It makes me hate myself,” I rasped.

“You shouldn’t. We had a case of a witch who lived in a volatile house and filed for disownment. One minute she was ignored and the next minute screamed at for reasons she couldn’t even tell what she’d done wrong. Or her father would kick her out of the house for not doing chores that were her siblings’ responsibilities.

“Her mother would come home and yell at her for being dramatic for actually leaving, being scared of her father and looking foolish in front of the neighbors. She would get a B on a test and one time her parents would be understanding and forgiving and the next time explode as if she came home pregnant.

“And everything was a secret. They would tell her things no parent should tell their children and she had to hide it then. They would turn around and always accuse her of lying, saying they knew she was a liar. They had made her a liar by keeping their secrets—while both parents constantly lied about so much. Anytime she tried to talk to them about anything they mocked her.

“Journals she wrote they read and laughed at with her family or she was punished for her feelings. Stories she used to write in the hopes that could be her future were torn down—nothing was safe or hers. Her siblings and parents always loud and yelling—screaming as if that won the fight or argument. She had the same reaction you do to confrontation, Bevin.”

I listened to what he was saying while rinsing my mouth with the water and spitting it out. A few times. “You’re telling me all of this to say she got better, right?”

He opened his mouth but then closed it and sighed. “I don’t actually know. I cannot keep up with all the cases we hear. I wanted you to understand that even people who go through less than you have will suffer from this sort of response. You are not broken, and you are certainly not weak.”

“Thanks.” It helped. I thought what Emma said about me being scared and knowing I would freak out later and still doing what I needed to was maybe a better thing to say, but this was nice to hear too.

He squeezed my knee and moved into my gaze. “But you are doing better already, Bevin.” He nodded when I frowned. “This is less of a reaction than last time, and this was against your Father who I know you are scared of. You are finding your way and learning to handle more—how to express more too. Keep on the path and please stop being so hard on yourself, okay?”

He might have said more, but Jasmine appeared via circle and seemed shocked at what was going on. She shook it off and locked gazes with me. “Clare contacted me. She called me but couldn’t talk to me. She’s being—your brother is trying to force her to sign a mating contract. He took her phone—”

“Where are they?” I asked, pushing to stand.

“Her condo.”

I turned to Taylor. “You ready?”

He sighed. Heavily. “You know this could be—”

“Yeah, so?” I snorted when he couldn’t hide his shock. “I made a promise, Taylor. I take them seriously. I told her I would come. I’m going. Are you helping or are you going to get me yelled at later?”

He pulled out the gun he’d just holstered. “Yeah, I’m coming.” He rolled his eyes and turned away before mumbling under his breath that I was a smartass.

“I’m coming as well,” Councilman Oliveria said, shocking all of us. He seemed to shrug but also to have something up his sleeve.

So be it.

He could also circle us right where we needed to go instead of going through hoops since he was with the council. Awesome.

I rinsed my mouth out once more and then jumped in the circle. Jasmine was staying home to get filled in and handle anything else—make sure my father didn’t just come back with more people or a new warrant? Adulting stuffs.

The circle took my breath away, but then we were in the hallway and Taylor confirmed the unit number before Councilman Oliveria used magic to break in the door. Taylor grabbed me by the neck of my shirt and yanked me back so I didn’t go in first and ducked inside.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Alex bellowed. “Is this who you called?”

I pushed someone’s hand off me to hold me back and went right inside. Rage filled me when I saw Clare with blood on her face and sweater. “She called me.”

Alex’s eyes filled with a giddy sickness. “Well, at least she was useful today, and you’re fucking stupid to step outside of Morrigan.” He moved towards me but froze when Taylor warned him not to move.

I, however, went right for him. I punched him with all I had—something I’d wanted to do for more years than was probably healthy. I was thrilled when it looked like it hurt even if he didn’t go down.

Then my eyes went wide. I held my wrist and bent over. “ Owwwww! Why didn’t anyone warn me that actually fucking hurts? Holy shit man!”

“You fucking pathetic little weak—how dare you strike me?” Alex snarled and reached for me.

I kicked him in the groin as hard as I could. “Okay, that doesn’t hurt and is way more satisfying.”

“You are seriously my favorite contract ever,” one of Taylor’s guys cracked. “Don’t even think about it, stupid.”

I was hurt but then realized he was talking about the Shaw guards who were over their shock and about to make a move. “Clare, did you call me? You have to say it and file charges.”

“Don’t you even think about it,” Alex groaned. “Don’t be stupid, Clare. You’re already in enough trouble to—”

I moved closer and grabbed his hair, ripping some as I pulled him up so we were face-to-face. “ You are the one in trouble, asshole. You saw me and thought you still had a chance at me. You’re a fucking moron because I’m more powerful. You wouldn’t win that battle.” I smiled evilly at him. “But how about I take your power, Alex? Since it’s fair game and—”

“You don’t have it in you,” he spat at me, pulling back his arm like he was going to hit me.

“ Restrain ,” I said easily, smirking when he couldn’t move.

“You don’t know how—”

“Oh, I know how,” I chuckled darkly, nodding when fear filled his eyes. “I’ve known the ritual backwards and forwards since I was seven and I understood what I had to do to protect myself from you fucking monsters if you ever realized I had magic.” I had flashes of all the times he’d abused me and shoved him to the ground before I did something over the line.

“You’re bluffing,” he sneered.

“I don’t bluff,” I told him firmly. “And I absolutely have it in me to kill you after all of the times you beat the shit out of me. After all the wounds and abuse you inflicted on me.” I squatted down in front of him and let him see the truth in my eyes. “I would love to make you suffer as painfully as possible. I don’t do it because I don’t want your evil in me, Alex. See the truth.”

I was pretty sure he did, but he probably was too sexist to believe it. Fine, fuck him. I felt better saying it and confronting him.

I stood and looked at Clare. “You have to be strong and say it. You can drop charges later, but you know…” I let out a slow breath. “You know, Clare.”

She bobbed her head and wiped her eyes and the blood off her face as best as she could before turning to Councilman Oliveria. “My brother, Alex Shaw, forced his way in here with my father’s guards and demanded I sign a mating contract. When I refused, he physically assaulted me and threatened to drain my power for himself if I didn’t behave.”

My leg moved without me even realizing it and I kicked Alex in the face, knocking him out.

“Oh darn, he fell on the way to the council’s estate,” one of the council guards joked… As he moved me back away from Alex.

“You do have a temper, poppet,” Councilman Oliveria chuckled.

I gave him a hard look. “I will show Mrs. Oliveria the proof and pictures of the abuse Alex made me endure and then she can decide if I was bad or a saint. Because honestly, I’m having a hard time not pushing him out the window.”

And that said a lot since we were twenty floors up.

He nodded and focused on Clare. “And these men?”

“They didn’t touch me, but they wouldn’t leave,” she whispered. “They were harassing me to be a good bitch and do what I’m told.” She tried to blink back tears. “Father is trying to force me to mate Gregg Haddock to clean up the mess.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” I muttered, glancing between her and Alex. “You heard that from him?”

“Father’s signature is on the mating contracts,” she answered. “There’s texts from him that Alex showed me saying he needed to have me sign the contract and get Jean under control if he really wants to be his heir and take over soon.”

I opened my mouth but then closed it, shaking my head. I pulled out my phone and called Tracey.

“Are you okay? Jasmine just filled me in and—”

“Physically, but I really need to be old enough to fucking drink,” I grumbled, glad when several people snorted like they agreed with me. “We’re getting Clare out. Can we spare people to pack up her condo and get it all somewhere safe?”

She was quiet a moment. “Yeah, I think Rita will know people who would want the extra work. Probably Winter and his friends—they’re always up for more jobs.”

“Perfect. I’ll have her grab the important stuff and—Father will freeze her accounts when he learns, so she has to act fast to transfer and handle what she can.” I gave Clare a sad look, but she nodded that she knew.

“I’ll have Jasmine come and help her. You have too much already going on,” Tracey said. “But don’t tell her anything yet, Bev. We don’t know we can trust her. She just asked for help to escape from your brother right now. That’s it.”

Yeah, but it wasn’t. Still, I would leave it alone for right now.

If for no other reason than because I understood when people gave me too many hard truths that I couldn’t handle all at once. It was cruel even if needed, and Clare had had too much cruelness in her life.

Any woman of the Shaw family had.