“How?” Holly asked.
“We assemble an army.”
What little hope that glimmered in Holly’s eyes disappeared. “An army?”
“We gather the shifters loyal to Silver Spruce and maintaining the balance of our world,” Keller said. “We storm the silver mines. We take Trevor hostage and bring him here. With luck, the shifters who follow him will lose their focus without their leader and disperse. We might have a shot to end this without bloodshed.”
“You don’t think shifters who would return to the dark ways deserve to have their blood spilled?” Johnny asked with narrowed eyes.
“I don’t believe that doing harm negates the harm that’s already been done,” Keller said. “What the dark shifters did fifteen years ago to Silver Spruce and its families was unforgivable. Slaughtering them won’t undo the damage that’s been done.”
“No, it won’t,” Johnny said with a deep scowl. “But it will sure as hell make me feel better.” He pushed away from the table and stormed off.
For a moment, Holly looked like she was going to call after him but thought better of it.
“He’ll come around,” Keller assured her. “It’s a difficult subject for him.”
“It’s difficult for all of us,” Loch snapped. “Johnny isn’t the only one who lost people fifteen years ago. Many of us did.”
Holly turned her gaze to Loch. He didn’t look at her.
“I understand that this will be difficult,” Keller said. “But it needs to be handled, and I think this is the best way to do it. If you’re willing to stay for this, for Holly, then we will welcome you as one of our own.”
“I will help.” Loch nodded. “For Holly. I don’t care what everyone else does or doesn’t do. If she needs it, I’ll do it.”
The movement was slight, but Keller didn’t miss it. Loch brushed his fingers against the back of Holly’s hand. Keller’s gaze darted to her face, searching for a reaction, but there was none.
“Where does Elise fit into this?” Holly asked. “She is the reason Loch and I are standing here right now. If anything happens to her—”
“We’ll find a way to get to her,” Keller promised. “She will be welcome here.”
Holly let out a sigh, but she didn’t look relieved. “Thank you.”
“There’s still one thing we’re leaving out,” Loch spoke up.
Keller looked at him, surprised. “What’s that?”
“Everything we’re planning is a way to protect Holly,” Loch started. “But what if something happens that we don’t foresee? What if someone grabs her when none of us can be there?”
“That won’t happen,” Keller said through gritted teeth.
“On your life, can you promise that?” Loch asked. “Can you tell Holly with absolute certainty that she will be under protection at every moment from now until we settle this?”
Keller wanted so badly to say yes, but he knew it wouldn’t be the truth. Even if he concocted the most airtight plan to end all plans, something could always go wrong. It had already happened once. “No,” he admitted reluctantly. “I can’t promise that.”
“Then we need to make sure Holly can protect herself,” Loch said. “She needs to learn basic self-defense. It wouldn’t hurt to give her some weapons training on top of that. I want her to have her best shot.”
“We all do,” Garret said.
“Good.” Loch grinned. “We’re agreed. Holly, you’ll train with me in the morning.”
“You?” Keller furrowed his brow. “Why you?”
“You’re our strategist,” Loch said to Keller before looking at Garret. “You’re our heavy hitter. I’m not sure how useful Johnny is going to be in all this, so I won’t count on him for anything. I know how to fight as a bear and as a human. Can either of you say the same?”
“I can throw a punch,” Garret offered. “But I’ve never been in a fight where my size didn’t guarantee me a victory.”
“Exactly. And Keller,” Loch turned back to him, “I’m going to guess that you’re a pro at talking your adversaries down before it comes to throwing blows.”
“You’re…not wrong,” Keller admitted.
“I, on the other hand, can use a crossbow, any gun you could possibly throw at me, knives, my fist, and a broadsword, if there’s nothing else available.”
“Under what circumstances was fighting with a broadsword necessary?” Holly asked, looking equal parts amused and concerned.
“That’s a story for another day,” Loch said with a wink before returning his gaze to Keller. “Are we done here?”
“Feel free to go do whatever it is that you do.” Keller flicked his wrist dismissively.
“I’m going to talk to Johnny,” Holly announced.
Keller tried not to look disappointed. He’d hoped Holly would stay in the dining room and help him work out a plan. Before he could voice his desires, she’d fled the dining room.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN—Holly
Holly checked the deck and the study before making her way down the basement stairs. She’d been in Johnny’s studio once before. It was an amazing workshop dedicated to painting, woodcarving, music, and anything else that caught Johnny’s artistic fancy. She knocked softly on the door.
“What?” Johnny’s gruff voice snapped.
“It’s me,” she said gently. “Can I talk to you?”
Silence.
Holly was about to accept that he didn’t want to see her and leave when the door opened.
She’d never seen Johnny look so worn down before. The usual rakish glint in his gray-green eyes wasn’t there. There was no smirk to be found on his lips. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a week.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’ve been better.”
“May I come in?”
Johnny looked like he wanted to refuse, but in the end, he stepped aside.
Holly stepped into his studio.
