“Loch, can you dig out anything of value from the family armory?” Holly asked, still having a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that Pearl had an armory.
“There’s not much,” he frowned, “but I’ll see what I can scavenge.”
“Holly.” Johnny moved close to her and took her by the shoulders. “You’re going to hate this, but there’s something I need you to do.”
“What?” Holly asked, brow furrowed.
“Stay here.”
“No way!”
“Yes! Everything we’ve done, we’ve done to keep you safe. Taking you into a fight is the most counter-intuitive thing I can think of.”
“But I have to be there for Trevor,” Holly insisted. “He’s not going to listen to anyone else.”
“What makes you think he’s going to listen to you?” Johnny said. “One of us will grab him from the mines and bring him back here. I swear on my life that we won’t harm him.”
Holly narrowed her eyes.
“All right, we may knock him around a bit, but he won’t die from that.”
“I don’t like this plan,” she said.
“Normally, I’d do whatever I could to come up with a plan you like, but this time, we’re going at it the smart way for your own sake.”
“What are you going to do? Lock me in the house?”
“All the doors lock from the inside. It would be incredibly stupid of me to lock you in,” he said. “Instead, I’m going to trust you.”
Holly’s breath hitched in her chest.
“If I ask you to stay put, will you?”
Holly looked up into his gray-green eyes and sighed. “If that’s what you need, I’ll do it.”
Johnny let out a breath of relief. “Thank you.”
“Good news.” Keller jogged into the living room. “Everyone who is able is willing to take the fight to the silver mines now. We’re meeting there. Get ready.”
“Right now?” Holly felt faint.
“Of course,” Keller replied. “We have no time to waste.”
“I know, I just…” Holly trailed off as her throat became thick with tears. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you. Any of you.”
Keller’s face softened. “Remember, this isn’t a battle. It’s not going to be like it was fifteen years ago.” He gathered her against his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head.
“It could turn into something like that, though,” Holly murmured. “Why should we expect the Golden Oak shifters to fight fair?”
“If we do this right, we’ll catch them so off guard they won’t have a chance to fight at all.”
“I just wish we had a better idea of what you’re walking into,” Holly said.
“Half of our forces are already on the move,” Garret said as he entered the living room. “We need to meet them so they don’t get overexcited.”
“Right.” Keller nodded. “We’ll be back before dawn. Stay here. Stay safe.”
“You stay safe.”
Keller gave her a soft, sweet kiss before releasing her.
Holly turned to Johnny, who wrapped her in a warm embrace.
“I’ll do my job better knowing you’re safe and hidden,” he murmured.
“Come back in one piece.” She sighed, stretching up to kiss him. “That’s all I ask.”
“Can do.” With a wink, he released her.
Garret approached her next.
“I have no doubt you’ll be the scariest thing those Golden Oak bastards have ever seen.” She forced a laugh.
“Don’t let them know how much I like tea.” He grinned before wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the floor. “I’ll be back soon.”
“You better.”
Garret strode off to prepare.
Holly stood in the center of the living room, fidgeting with her hands.
“I hope you’re not going to forget me.”
She looked over her shoulder to find Loch armed to the teeth after raiding the armory. “Wow,” she said. “You look…effective.”
“Thanks?” He chuckled. “I don’t intend on using any of these, but I’m still pissed at being locked in a cell for a week.”
“Not unreasonable.” Holly laughed softly. “Don’t let your anger get the better of you.”
“I won’t,” he said. “I finally have you. I’m not doing a damn thing to risk that.”
“Good. If you don’t come back, I’m going to be so pissed I’ll bring you back from the dead just to kill you again myself.”
Loch opened his arms. Holly ran into his embrace without hesitation.
“I’m not getting killed. I’m not even going to draw a sword if I can help it.”
“Aren’t the other guys bringing guns?” she asked.
“Yeah, but I don’t own any. Luckily, Pearl had a thing for antique weaponry.”
“Luckily,” Holly repeated, pressing her cheek against his chest. “I hate this so much.”
“It’ll be over before you know it,” he assured her. “Then, we can move on to the next crisis.”
“There’s always something, isn’t there?”
“I’m afraid so.” Loch pressed a kiss into the top of her head.
“Time to go,” Keller barked from the doorway.
Johnny and Garret filed out the door.
“I’ll see you soon,” Loch said. “I promise.” He released her and walked out into the night.
Keller offered Holly one last smile before shutting the door behind him.
Holly stood in the center of the room, unsure of what she should do.
“Can I ask you something?” Elise’s voice started her.
“Sure.” Holly shook her head, clearing away the dark thoughts encroaching on her mind.
“You love them all, don’t you?”
With a slow sigh, Holly walked over to the couch and sat down.
“I do,” she said. “Though, I’ve only told one of them. Stupid, huh? They all have the right to know.”
“If my brother is brought here, would you love him the way you love them?”
Holly looked Elise in the eye.
Elise’s pale gaze shone with hope and fear.
“I’d try to,” Holly said honestly. “But he has to let
