Page 43 of Love’s a Witch (The Scottish Charms #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX Sloane

Despite our best efforts, the snow had intensified and was approaching catastrophic levels.

While the Pinecones & Peppermint Fest had done good things for tourism, and people had been happy with all the snow-filled games, another week had passed and the onslaught of bad weather showed no signs of weakening.

The Charms told me everyone was working at full effort now to make the village even somewhat passable, and it was hard to say how long they’d hold up under the strain.

We were also no further along on our break-the-curse path.

And while I hadn’t quite come to terms with our father’s sudden reappearance in our lives, I also hadn’t frozen him out.

Talking to Knox had been surprisingly helpful, largely because he hadn’t pushed me in one direction or the other.

Instead, he’d suggested that I take all the time I needed to feel my feelings and reminded me nothing had to be decided in that instant.

Hearing that had loosened some of the tension, because he was right—I could take my time.

It had been years since I’d seen my father, and now that I knew where he was, I could ease into our relationship again on my terms.

Each night, I read one of his letters, as did my sisters, to varying reactions.

But the dragon revelation had to be one of the biggest surprises. Now, all of Nova’s sketchbooks were being filled with increasingly intricate dragon designs, while Lyra was researching the history of the dragon keepers.

And I went to see Dorothy at the Dragon’s Hoard, Blue along for the ride. We went after she’d closed the shop for the day, on Thursday as requested, and she’d all but flung the door open and wrenched us inside when we arrived.

“I’ve been so nervous, I’ve been pacing!” Dorothy exclaimed, waving a finger at the wall of snow behind us. “I was worried you wouldn’t make it.”

“The Land Rover’s been pretty reliable. I just went extra slow.” As much as I hated to admit it, I was in love with Knox’s car and might have a hard time giving it back to him. At least he had several options in his garage to choose from, surely he wouldn’t miss it?

“I’m just so pleased you’re here.” Dorothy clapped her hands together, her face alight with pleasure as she beamed at where Blue’s wee nose poked out of my coat. “An emberwolf. My, what an honor. Even though you are a keeper’s daughter and all. It’s just rare to see.”

“How did you know I’m a keeper’s daughter?

” My father had said this was a family secret.

I followed Dorothy as she waved us through the shop and up the stairs to a small second-floor flat.

Here, a rich navy-blue color on the wall made the colorful chairs, abstract paintings, and shelves full of intricate baubles that rivaled the likes of a museum pop.

She directed me toward two velvet armchairs in pale dusky gold, a low-slung coffee table between them.

On it lay an entire platter of cheese.

Blue poked his head out, struggling to get out of my coat, but I held him tightly.

Snacks.

“Yes, I know there are snacks. But it is rude to go eat it all. So you are going to wait and be polite and eat the cheese slowly. Understood?”

But, why?

“Why do you have to wait to eat the cheese? Because you’ll get a sore stomach otherwise.”

Never. Dragons don’t get upset stomachs.

“I do believe you were a wee bit windy the other day,” I murmured in his ear, reminding him of his gas that had almost blown me off the couch.

I’m certain that I can’t recall.

Blue turned his nose in the air, and I laughed as I unzipped my coat. When he spread his wings and took flight around the room, Dorothy crowed in delight.

“Oh, would you just look at him? He’s incredible.” Dorothy’s eyes shone brightly as Blue circled, adding a few dips and dives for her.

“Show-off,” I murmured.

I am a majestic beast, Sloane.

I grinned as he buzzed past me and then hunkered down on the floor. Sliding me a glance, he reached a paw out and knocked a piece of cheese off the table.

Oops.

“Blue,” I warned.

Another brick of cheese went flying.

“Oh, cheeky monkey.” I shook my head at him, and he looked up, a mischievous expression on his face.

“Please, go on, sit.” Dorothy dropped into a chair, indicating I do so as well, her gaze fixated on Blue. “He’s really just so incredible, isn’t he? Just look at those wings. They blend perfectly with his coat, but his face is just the cutest.”

“It really is.” Blue snuffled the ground, searching for his cheese, and I eased back into the chair. “Thanks for having us over.”

“Oh, it’s my pleasure. It’s not every day I get to spend with a keeper’s daughter.”

“So you know about us, then? My dad? How is that possible?”

“I’m a historian for the dragons.” Dorothy beamed at me when my mouth dropped open.

“I’m granted certain privileges others aren’t.

And even then, I still have to beg and plead my way into having an audience with them.

Even if it is to record their own history.

Your father has the great honor of keeping them tethered to this world. ”

“?‘Tethered’?” I raised an eyebrow at the word.

“Aye, lass. Without him, they’d float right through the veil to another realm. But they like it here and want to stay. Which requires someone affixed to this world. Your father, in this case. It’s why he can’t leave Briarhaven.”

“Surely they have a backup? What if he, I don’t know, slips on a rock and hits his head and dies? Would they just disappear?”

“Not instantaneously, no.” Dorothy pressed her lips together. “But eventually, yes. If they couldn’t find another who understood the role. And the heavy responsibilities of it. He’s a good man, your father. He’s given up a lot to keep the dragons here. I admire him.”

“Aye, he gave up his daughters.” I couldn’t help that my words were bitter at my throat.

“Did he, though? Or were they taken?” Dorothy’s tone held no censure, just curiosity.

I shrugged, uncertain how to respond, when a huge crashing sound exploded from outside. Metal crushed, sharp and cracking, and the sound of glass shattering shot me to my feet.

“Oh no,” Dorothy cried. We both ran to the window, and Blue followed, scrambling to land on my shoulder until I reached up and tucked him into my arms.

Below, a minivan was wrapped around a tree, its front end smoking and crumpled like an accordion.

“ No ,” I breathed, turning. “That’s Felicity’s car. We need to call for help.”

“Already on it.”

“Keep Blue with you.” I put Blue on the couch. “Buddy, stay here. It could be dangerous.”

Grabbing my coat, I raced outside.

The sight that greeted me was dire.

Felicity sat hunched in the driver’s seat, blood pouring down her face, unconscious.

I was the first to arrive, though shouts greeted me through the swirl of snow and sleet that hammered the car.

Wrenching the door open, I pressed my palms to the blood at her head, hoping to stem the flow. My breath caught in my chest.

“Felicity,” I called, hoping she would wake up. “Honey, I need you to wake up. You’ve had an accident.”

I wasn’t even sure if she was breathing. Did I need to check that? Maybe I should be administering CPR instead of stopping the flow of blood. Panic clenched my throat.

“Sloane, move back.”

“Raven,” I gasped, immediately making room for the healer. “I don’t know… I’m not sure if she’s okay.”

“Just move,” Raven ordered, and I slid out of the way.

Shifting my coat from my shoulders, I held it up, trying to block Raven and Felicity from the sharp shards of icy snow that hammered down from above.

Raven put her hand on Felicity’s chest and closed her eyes, her face going as still as a statue’s.

A moment later, her eyelids fluttered open.

“She’s alive, but she’s seriously injured. We need to get her into surgery.”

“What can you do?”

“I’m going to work on the internal bleeding. The broken bones will have to wait. Now wheesht.” With that, Raven closed her eyes and went to work, murmuring spell after spell until sirens pierced the air and an ambulance slid to a stop next to the car, Knox right behind it.

Everything was a blur of movement as the officials took over, and we were pushed back, back, back, until we could barely see through the snow as they strapped Felicity to a stretcher and whisked her away.

“Is she going to…” I grasped Raven’s arms, unable to say the words.

“I don’t know. But I have to call her family.”

“What can I do?” I asked Raven, feeling helpless.

And Raven, despite her loyalty to me, couldn’t help but glance at the snow that barreled down from the sky and then back to me. I winced.

Even if it hadn’t been intentional, the meaning was clear. The snow was becoming a true threat now, and if we didn’t do something to fix this soon, I might not have any choice but to leave.

I’d been handed a cold, hard slap of reality in the form of one friend’s van wrapped around a tree.

What I needed to do was go home, pack everyone up, and get out of town before all of Briarhaven descended into chaos.

It was clear we were running out of time.

Raven squeezed my arm once, understanding on her face, and my heart fell.

She knew as well as I did what we had to do.

It wasn’t fair to ask people to live with this.

Staying in Briarhaven to break the curse had been a pipe dream at best.

Tears threatened, and I swallowed them back, pushing them down, down, down, behind that wall that I’d been so good at keeping up most of my life. Dorothy handed me Blue, and I bundled him into my coat and beelined for the Land Rover, ostensibly ignoring where Knox stood speaking to the police.

I couldn’t face him.

Not now. Not like this. With the blood of an innocent victim on my hands. It wasn’t my curse, but it was mine to bear.

But as I made to close the driver’s door, a hand stopped me. Already I knew who it was.

I struggled in a breath and then swung my gaze up to his.

“Sloane. No.” Knox’s voice was ragged, his face ravaged with grief.

“Knox,” I said.

“You can’t do this. You can’t leave. Not now. Not like this.”

“I have to go, Knox. Don’t you see?” I swept a hand out, tears blurring my vision.

“This is only getting worse. We were stupid to think we could fix this. We’ve barely made any headway, and now someone is seriously hurt.

How many people will have to break their faces against steering wheels before you let me go? ”

“There has to be a way around this,” Knox argued, his eyes wild, burning through me. “You can’t just leave.”

“I don’t have a choice. Look at me,” I shouted, and Blue whimpered on the seat next to me. I held up my hands, still covered in Felicity’s blood. “Look at this! Her blood is, quite literally, on my hands. I don’t have a choice.”

“Please don’t go, Sloane.” Knox leaned forward until his forehead touched mine, his breath tickling my lips. “I need you. I…”

“You what?” I said, his nearness calming me despite it all.

“I love you, Sloane. If you leave, you’ll take my heart with you.”

That box of emotions cracked open inside me, my heart shattering open, and tears poured down my face. A future here now truly felt insurmountable.

“I have to go, Knox. It’s what we do. We don’t get to stay, can’t you understand?”

“Then I’ll come with. Take me with you.”

“No, Knox. Your home is here. Briarhaven needs you.”

“Forget Briarhaven, Sloane. When do I get a chance at my own happiness?”

My heart cried for him, for us, as I stared at him, frozen with the impossible choice in front of me.

But I did know one thing, now that I’d finally allowed my emotions to escape. I loved Knox, irreparably so, and I knew two things. The first? If I told him now, he’d leave everything behind and follow me to the ends of the earth. And the second? He’d never be happy if he did so.

Raven appeared behind Knox.

“Emergency meeting of the Charms. At your house. I’m coming with you.” Raven slid into the back seat, ignoring Knox, and I looked up at him, helpless.

“I have to go.” And I didn’t mean just because the Charms had called a meeting.

He knew it, and I knew it.

“Coward.” Knox turned and spat on the street behind us before storming away, the snow swallowing him up as he went. Blue whimpered after him, and I slammed the door, agony rippling through me.

“There’s time to deal with that later, Sloane. Pack it away,” Raven ordered, and I nodded, my hands gripping the wheel.

“Is she going to make it?” I asked, starting the car and easing it past the squad cars that had blocked off the accident scene.

“I believe so.”

“You’re not just saying that?” I shot a glance in the rearview mirror to see Raven sitting, her head thrown back, eyes closed, all color drained from her face.

“No, I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“I need to leave, don’t I?”

Silence greeted me, but that was all I needed to hear. I know Raven didn’t want to be the one to say it, to send me packing, but I also knew her code of “first do no harm” as a healer wouldn’t allow her to encourage me to stay here any longer either.

“Understood,” I said.

I stared at the blood drying on my fingers, and my resolve tightened.

I would get us home, get us through this meeting, and then I was packing my sisters up and leaving town.

We’d been happy enough traveling the world before, and we’d figure it out again.

I wouldn’t allow anyone to die because the MacGregors simply wanted an easier life.