Before she’d even finished speaking I was shaking my head. “No, I don’t know what these people have, but if they can hang onto a Harpy, they aren’t to be messed with. Just keep her calm. That’s your job.” Only an hour since the phone call from Charlie. An hour and things were already ramping up. We waited outside the Landing Pad in the cold, winter night for Pamela and Alex’s ride. Dox had shut the bar down early, and had put the word out through the locals that we were expecting some hostiles. Shit, not even home twenty-four hours and life had tossed a twist at us I could never have seen coming.
A cold nose shoved into my hand. “Alex’s job?”
“You keep Pamela safe. That’s your job. Protect her.”
Alex sat back on his haunches and saluted me, albeit a bit sloppily. “Gots it.”
All but bouncing, Pamela stood in front of me, eyes bright, ready to face another challenge. There was no regret in her over killing the red caps, as there shouldn’t be. A part of me was pleased, she would suffer a lot less in our world doing what had to be done and not getting her panties twisted up with guilt. Yet, another part of me was sad. To be so young, and hardening up so quickly—I wasn’t sure that was a good thing. I’d been two years older than she was when Giselle had found me. And even then I’d hardened plenty fast enough.
“You have Terese’s phone number?” I handed Pamela the bowie knife I’d started with, the one she’d carried in London. She tucked the knife in the sheath that would hold the blade in place over her lower back.
“Yes, I’ll call her as soon as I get there. Are you sure she’ll help?” Pamela had reason to be wary. The only other witch she’d met had been Milly, and both times Milly had not treated Pamela well. If one can say that having a death spell thrown at you was just poor treatment.
I nodded. As soon as I’d gotten off the phone with Charlie, I’d called Terese. Told her that I was sending Pamela to my place and that it might be prudent for Terese to go and spend some time with her. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I was sending Terese a young witch that would rival Milly’s abilities one day.
Pamela’s eyes suddenly narrowed. “Are you just sending her to check up on me? I’m not a child. I’m almost fifteen, you know.”
“No.” I bit back a smile; the kid was too damn smart sometimes. “She has to check on every witch that comes into her territory. Not to mention you’ll be training with her once things settle down.”
Liam snorted. “Like that’s ever going to happen in your life.”
A big, pale green Cadillac pulled into the parking lot of the Landing Pad. In order to get Pamela and Alex back to North Dakota as fast as possible, I’d had two choices. Try to cross the Veil by going back into the castle and hoping like hell that there was no one waiting for us in ambush.
Or cash in one of my favors with another of the Shamans. I went with option number two. No need to see who was waiting for us back at the castle.
Crystal leaned out the door of the Cadillac. I handed her a cell phone. “If something goes sideways, I’ll call and you bring them back here to Dox, got it?”
The young Shaman’s eyes were somber. “You think there might be problems?”
Liam snorted softly, but I ignored him and leaned in close so Pamela couldn’t hear me. “You are taking them out of the firing range here. I don’t want them to be around this psycho parent that’s going to show up. If I call, it’s because I think it’s a trap on the other end. If it’s safe, you won’t hear from me, and you can take them all the way to Eve and drop them there. Got it?”
She gave me a tight smile. “I can’t stay with them. Louisa needs me back here.” I said nothing else, just stepped back. She understood what I was trying to do. Keep Pamela and Alex safe, while not showing them my hand. Keeping Eve safe was important too, but if this parent was the psycho I was counting on … I Tracked Eve, felt a current of fear, but no pain, and no terror. More worried than anything. That was a good sign. Maybe this salvage wouldn’t be the mess I had already assumed it would come to.
Crystal waved out the window to Alex and Pamela. “You two ready?” Even though she’d helped saved my life, I managed to talk her into throwing in a ride for Pamela and Alex too since she’d been helping Louisa, and I hadn’t directly asked her for help. Bonus. Didn’t hurt that she was young, and new to her profession as Shaman, making her easier to persuade.
Pamela gave me a hug, Alex followed suit, and then they were running toward the long, slightly anemic-looking car.