Page 129 of De-Witched

“Mostly,” she allowed. “You wanted to talk.”

“Later. You should rest first and I have to deal with...this.” He paused for the longest second. “But I am sorry, Leah. For what I said.”

That hope shivered. “I’m sorry, too.” For springing it on him. The words about his parents.

He withdrew his hand from the dogs. “Do you need anything? Peggy or Emmaline or Tia?”

She shook her head. “The board might understand,” she added, hating the gulf between them but knowing now wasn’t the time. “You were helping a human, right?”

“Maybe.” To her surprise, after a marked hesitation, he came around the bed. He bent, pressing his lips to her forehead. She inhaled, wanting to grip his tie, hold him to her, using it for leverage. But she let him go as he stepped back.

And it came to her.

“Gabriel?”

He stopped, angled a look back in question.

“I remember...the man who knocked me out. He said something. About me being the perfect leverage.” She searched his face. “Do you think that means anything?”

His lips pressed together, something dangerous flaring to life in his expression. “It means someone knows what you mean to me. Someone close.”

She didn’t dare react to his statement. “Close? Like...?”

“Someone who would benefit from my failure.”

“You didn’t—” Understanding dawned. She gripped the duvet. “Your uncle.”

He didn’t let her continue, though what she’d have said, she wasn’t sure. “I have to go.”

“And do what?” Worried, she tried to catch his hand, but he’d moved away. “Confront him?”

“If I have to.”

His brittle voice made her wince. “It might not be what it looks like.”

For a split second she saw the utter pain in his eyes before he blanked them. “I’ll give him the chance to tell his truth. Even if it’s not one I want to hear.”

“I’m sorry.” It was useless but all she could think of.

He was already in motion. “I’ll come back.”

He was gone the next second. And then it was just her, the dogs and the quiet.

“I’ll be waiting,” she said to the empty room.

Gabriel met Henry and Bastian in front of the shelter. The windows were blown out, plastic tape making Xs across them. It flapped in the wind, drawing attention to the destruction caused. If it wasn’t for the fact that all the employees were human, Gabriel would’ve worked a spell or seven, but they might be suspicious of a building that withstood a fire without a scratch. Better to ensure the innards were sturdy, if smoke-damaged.

Not that it had changed Sonny’s mind, as the owner had told Gabriel that morning. It was the final straw for the old human. He was selling.

“She’s going to hate me,” Sonny had said, staring at his blackened shelter with swimming eyes. He didn’t acknowledge the tears so neither had Gabriel. “But I just don’t have the heart anymore.”

Gabriel wiped that from his mind as he greeted the warlocks with a nod. “Thanks for coming.”

“Shit.” Henry winced at the deep-fried structure. “Though with the strength of that fire, I’m surprised it’s still standing.”

He’d told Gabriel that the magical fire had been set to withstand the interference of magic, and considering it had taken Henry with assistance from Bastian and Gabriel to put out the blaze, Gabriel believed him.

It added to his dark mood. “It was set to lure me out.”

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