Page 25 of Road To Runes

"'For now'?" Penny's mother's laugh came out nasal. "Sounds like youarerunning away from home?"

"Well!" Edward rose from the bed and encouraged Penny up with him. "Penny's more than welcome to move in with us if she wants to. Maybe she'll do us the honour of accepting our invitation one day soon."

Penny's cheeks flushed, and I suppressed a grin at the sight. If my nagging wasn't enough to get her to stay with us then maybe Edward was.

Penny's mum honed in on Edward, her shoulders clenching and eyes narrowing. She looked him up and down.

"That's enough of this. Get out, all of you.Notyou," she said, shooting a sharp look at Penny. "I've had enough of your tantrums without bringing other people into our family business."

"She's a grown adult," I said, linking an arm through Penny's. "She'll go where she likes."

The irony thatIwas telling her she was coming with us hadn't escaped me, but hopefully after a few glasses of wine, it would go over her mum's head.

Penny said nothing, her head bowed, but squeezed my arm with hers. That was all in the indication I needed that this was what she wanted.

"I knew you were a bad influence." Penny's mum snorted. "Are you the one I can thank for Penny's crappy behaviour lately?"

My skin prickled, goosebumps popping up all over my arms as rage spread like wildfire through my muscles. Penny didn't dare stray from the path when it came to how she acted; if anythingshekept me on the straight and narrow. I couldn't corrupt her if I tried. It was a wonder she had any self-esteem at all living with this woman.

"Okay, you know what?" I said through gritted teeth. "We'll just get out of your hair."

With that, I marched us toward the door, but Penny's mother slammed her glass down on the dresser next to her. The glass smashed, the shards and a torrent of wine cascading over her hand.

Chapter 14

Penny and I flinched in unison, my heart rate spiking.

For a moment, Penny's mum blinked, as if dazed, at the jagged stem of glass she still held in her hand. Then she pointed the glass stick in our direction.

"I won't say it again," she said. "Penny, sit down and the rest of you-"

A family angelic hum permeated the atmosphere, smothering the tension like a fire blanket. Fatigue flooded my body and clouded my thoughts as Penny's mum toppled toward the ground, the glass stem falling out of her hand. Asher caught her before she hit the floor and pulled her out of the puddle of wine and glass onto Penny's rug.

The sensation of peace washed over me as the beautiful sound soothed every nerve and quelled the fire raging inside me. Comfort, ease, and all manner of wonderful things I hadn't felt for so long wrapped me up in a cocoon so comfortable that I never wanted to leave it.

I struggled to stay upright, my eyelids drooping as sleep beckoned to me. Penny grabbed me under my armpits as I sankcloser to the ground. But slumber enveloped me before I could muster the urge to care.

"You could have given us some warning, Ash." Edward sounded mildly annoyed.

It took a few seconds to realise I was rousing. My head rested on someone's shoulder and the rumble of an engine suggested we were in a car.

"She had a weapon. I didn't want to giveherany warning." Asher's voice came from the front seat. "I didn't know Bea was so sensitive to..."

Of course I was. Whenever I couldn't sleep he would hum his song to me and knock me right out. Apparently it still did, even after all this time.

"Mum wouldn't have done anything with it," Penny said on my right. "She was just...angry."

"Penny, I know it isn't my place to say," Asher said. "But I don't think your mother or her boyfriend have your best interests at heart. No wonder Bea wanted to get you out of there."

Penny heaved a sigh, my head rising up and down with her shoulder. "I don't want to be a burden on anyone or overstay my welcome. That's why I thought it was best if I stayed at home while I finished school, but now Carl's here everything has changed."

Okay, I was done eavesdropping. I sat up and stretched, blinking a few times to focus.

We were back in the taxi, the rain hammering down on the windscreen as if the heavens themselves had opened.

"Enjoy your power nap?" Edward wheezed as I elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shut up," I muttered.

---