“Your daughter and I will rest up,” Anastacia continued. “You figure out our next plan.”
“How do I do that?” Dad gaped, agitated. He didn’t look like he liked the idea of being responsible for their surviving this ordeal. “I’m not a magic being; you made that pretty obvious a while ago.”
“I have a library filled with occult books,” Aunt Anastacia pointed out. “You have the whole night to look for a spell or ritual or whatever for me to perform to deliver us from this conundrum when I wake up later.”
Emily had a thought right at that moment. It was about Michael. What if he woke up, somewhere in the night or early morning, while Aunt Anastacia was dead to the world? What if he wanted to leave this place; how would they stop him?
Even if they tried to retain him, Michael was a rove. He could go ballistic and destroy them. She didn’t want to have to deal with an angry rove within the house when there were already three waiting for them outside.
And what if he decided he wanted to leave? What if he saw Marion and decided this was some joke or something? What if he was adamant and went outside beyond the protection of Aunt Anastacia’s magic in spite of her protest?
It’s simple, Selena popped in. They’ll abduct him all over again and use him as bait.
You mean they’ll torture him? Emily wanted to be clear on what kind of bait Michael would become.
That’s exactly what I mean.
Emily gasped softly. That’s so wrong! She wanted to shriek. She kept silent, however, because she didn’t want her dad and aunt questioning her about Selena.
“What’s the matter, Child?” asked her aunt.
Emily was a little taken aback. She turned to the older woman and searched her face, wondering how her aunt didn’t already know the answer to the question. Couldn’t the woman read her thoughts? Emily allowed a wan smile. “I was just wondering what would happen if you’re asleep when Michael wakes, and he decides he wants to go see his father.”
Aunt Anastacia’s right eyebrow arched. Apparently she hadn’t thought of that. “I might need to cast a binding spell on him to prevent him from leaving this house.”
“How much will that cost you?”
“A lot,” Anastacia admitted. “But I think I’ll survive.”
“You think?” Emily didn’t like the sound of that.
Her aunt nodded grimly. She needn’t say more. Even she couldn’t ascertain if she had enough juice to perform the spell. And she’d already asserted as much earlier that doing magic beyond one’s capacity could lead to death.
“That’s not worth it,” Emily gasped. “You can’t give your life for Michael.”
“He’s young,” Aunt Anastacia started, “and—”
“We need you,” Emily cut her off. She didn’t want Aunt Anastacia guilt-tripping herself. Not now. Not when they were facing a family of roves. Michael hated Emily. For all Emily knew, he would do anything to see her in chains and disemboweled. Why should Aunt Anastacia give her life for someone who lived and breathed for Emily’s destruction?
Yeah, so he was a rove. It didn’t matter anyway because he was useless to them if he didn’t accept who he was (something Emily expected would be an issue when Michael woke up). Even if he did, he was unskilled and unlearned. Emily suspected that being a rove wasn’t as instinctual as being a shifter.
Being a magician was as much an empowered art as it was a learned art. Yeah, you needed to have magic coursing through your blood. But you also had to have knowledge. The most powerful roves were highly skilled. It was always a combination of skill and energy.
Michael might have energy, but he was nothing compared to Marion’s twistedly evil family who combined power and skill with something darker—evil.
“No, Aunt, you can’t give yourself up for him,” Emily said again. This time her tone was stern. “Michael has nothing to offer us yet, except trouble. You, on the other hand, have skill and power.” Emily paused a moment and thought about what she’d said, then added, “It’s what Mom would have wanted.”
Aunt Anastacia held her gaze for a moment. She nodded once and began turning her back on the idle Land Rover. It was a process that took forever. Emily had to assist her. When Anastacia had finally swiveled all the way around, she turned her head to Dad.
Dad hadn’t moved. His eyes were steady on the Land Rover. Emily didn’t know what he thought the vehicle would do from all the way out there.
“Stay alert or come inside and strategize. Either way, those guys out there aren’t getting in here for another full day,” Aunt Anastacia reiterated.
“And what if Gregory comes?” Dad hissed. Emily was stunned by the amount of animosity in his voice. “What if he decides he can’t wait one more day and comes with his evil wife? What then?”
Aunt Anastacia chuckled. “Then we’re screwed. All of us.” She shook her head, bowed it, and started hobbling toward the door. “And the contingency plan is set into motion.”
“I thought you said it wasn’t a good option, Aunty,” Emily said as she opened the door for the woman to continue inside.
“It isn’t.” Aunt Anastacia paused at the door and held Emily’s hand. “Get your dad to come inside, Emily. Don’t let his heart waste away in bitterness. Talk to him. Let him know you don’t blame him for what he’s been through. Otherwise, after this battle, if we win, you will face another of your dad’s own demons.”
The woman broke free of Emily’s hold and started up the staircase, leaving Emily standing in the hallway, wondering what that was all about.
9
Emily went back outside and approached her father’s side. He only acknowledged her with a rough grunt and a slight tilt of his head. When he was done, he was back to looking at the Land Rover.
Emily pondered over what Dad must have been thinking. Perhaps
