“Seriously?” River asks.
Ransom nods, “Yeah, we are now more protected than we have ever been. We are protected against pretty much everything.”
“Wow,” Neith mutters. “I am entirely unsure how I’m supposed to react to that.”
Chapter Three
Doc
“Well, that was fucking impressive,” Winston mutters.
I glance at him, narrowing my eyes slightly, “Why do you sound surprised? Aren’t you supposed to be all knowing? Are you even allowed to curse?”
“Because I am surprised,” he replies simply with a smile, not answering any of my other questions.
He waves and then Wallace and he blink out of existence.
Neith shakes her head, “Don’t bother. He likes to do that when you ask him a question that he doesn’t actually have the answer to. It’s infuriating as fuck.”
“I can imagine,” I reply drily.
“Okay. It’s approaching dinner time now, and I’m hungry,” Griff says in his no-nonsense manner, “the breach in the ward is now fixed. I think we should head back to the lake so we can leave the kelpies there and then head back home.”
“Agreed,” Evander says. “Let’s go.”
“Are we still going to the poker game at Sully’s?” Raiden asks curiously before we can make a move to go anywhere.
Neith shrugs, “I have to go. If I miss another one, Ernie’s going to be pissed. Besides, I want to ask Sully about the kelpies and see if there’s a reason why we all now know their names and they aren’t trying to eat us anymore.”
Mael rolls his eyes at Neith’s words.
I had no idea that kelpies could do that, and it looks weird as hell. Neith continues talking though so I don’t bother pointing it out.
“I am happy to go by myself though.”
Van shakes his head, “I’m sure the guys will agree that we could all do with a drink and some time to relax after today. Even if Sully doesn’t let us into the poker game.”
We all voice our agreement, and Neith smiles.
“Sounds good to me. Let’s get back to the house. I agree with Griff, I’m fucking hungry,” she admits with a wide smile.
“I’m not surprised. You just kicked off a fuck ton of magic. I’m actually surprised that you are still upright and haven’t passed out with exhaustion,” Raiden says.
Shit, I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.
Neith shrugs, “I don’t feel any different than I did before. I’m just hungry.”
We all frown, she should be feeling something more than just hungry especially since it was her first real show of magic.
That thought makes me pause. Was it really her first real show of magic?
I mean, technically speaking, she has died and come back to life twice in the last few weeks, and that was obviously facilitated by magic. So she has been using her magic, just not intentionally. I wonder if she has even tried to use her magic deliberately. I shake my head, that’s not the issue that I need to be focusing on right now. I need to know if she is really okay or if she only thinks she is and is about to drop.
“Neith, could I check, please?” I ask her, “Just in case there is something going on that you might not be aware of?”
Neith doesn’t even hesitate, she just nods and holds out her hands for me. “Yeah, of course. I really do feel absolutely fine, but I’d rather know if I’m about to drop and not realize.”
“I know, but I would rather be safe than sorry, especially since we are going out later,” I explain, taking her hands in mine.