Page 36 of Shadow's End

“Yeah, but she can’t do anything about my presence there now.”

“She can still make your life there unpleasant, and remember, not all the pack was behind the decision to approve you living amongst them.”

“No, but enough did to matter. Time will take care of the rest.”

Presuming we allhadtime.

Goose bumps stole across my skin again. I picked up my pack, slung both over my shoulders, and then said, “Let’s get going before you can’t.”

A smile ghosted her lips. “To quote a phrase used all too often by someone else here, I’m fine. I’m not going to collapse on you.”

And I will draw on your strength if I feel that might happen.

And absolutely not a heartbeat before, I returned wryly.

Absolutely.

I chuckled softly, then turned and led the way toward the main exit tunnel. Ashworth was just making his way back down.

“All safe up there?” Monty asked.

Ashworth nodded. “That vibration we sensed was a proximity spell. Nothing dangerous and easy enough to disable. I’ve also dismissed our caging spell, given the beastie is no longer a problem.”

“When you get home,” I said, “can you and Eli ramp up the protection spells around your house?”

His gaze narrowed. “You’ve seen something?”

“Nothing definite, and it might turn out to be nothing at all?—”

“When has that ever been the case?” he cut in. “I’ll call Eli immediately and get him to start. With what we’re facing, it’s probably prudent, even without your instincts twitching.”

“Thanks.”

As he pulled out his phone to make the call, we continued on. Monty escorted us all the way down to the truck, kissed Belle, and then watched us leave before retreating.

“Hope he finds his way back,” she said, amused. “His trail craft is not the best.”

I grinned. “No, which is why he was sprinkling magical markers about the place.”

Her eyebrows rose. “He was?”

“That right there is evidence of the fact you’re almost out on your feet.”

She laughed, though it was a pale echo of its usual robust self. By the time I’d driven through the forest and back onto the road, she was asleep and didn’t stir until I’d parked at the rear of the café. Once I’d stored the ring in the glove compartment, I gently prodded her awake, then helped her into the café and up the stairs leading to the first-floor accommodation. There wasn’t a whole lot of floor space up here, but it had two decent-sized bedrooms, as well as a separate toilet and bathroom. The living room was tiny, but had enough room for a kitchenette, an under-bench refrigerator, a small coffee machine to save us heading downstairs all the time, and a microwave, as well as a two-person sofa and a TV stand. Double glass doors led out to a balcony that extended out over the footpath, providing us with enough space for a table and four chairs while giving those in the café who wished to have their coffee and cake in the fresh air some form of weather protection.

It was perfect for two people, but with four of us, it was going to be tight.

“Bathroom rather than the bed,” she said as we reached the top landing. “I can smell the dead on me.”

I could smell it on us both.

And it wouldn’t be the last time, either.

I shivered but shoved the premonition aside and helped her into the bathroom. Once I was sure she wasn’t going to fall asleep or fall down, I ran back downstairs to tuck the backpacks away and make an energizing potion for her. The café was open and relatively busy, but Penny, Celia, and Ari—the twenty-year-old part-timer we’d very recently employed for the summer period—had things running smoothly.

“We’re out of salted caramel and chocolate tart again,” Penny said as she scooted past me and over to the coffee machine.

I blinked. “We only made it yesterday, and it’s barely past one—how the hell could we have gone through two tarts so fast?”

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