Page 50 of Wicching Hour

“Arwyn,” Gran said, “you are a part of the Corey Council, and we waited until you arrived before we made any decisions. We’re overlooking your werewolf friend while we discuss Council business. I’m not sure how we’ve leapfrogged from the Swans being in league with your cousin to the status of mixed-blood Coreys. We have problems that touch the entire family that need to be dealt with now. Perhaps we can table the angst for another time.”

“I can leave, if you’d prefer,” Declan rumbled.

I closed up my sketchbook, put it and my charcoals in my backpack, and then returned to Declan’s lap. “I’d prefer you stayed. It saves me explaining all of this later.”

He wrapped his arm around me again and we sat together as a team.

“So, are you saying there is no wicche Council anymore?” I asked.

“That’s just it,” Mom said. “The Council hasn’t met in years.”

“Are you sure they’re not meeting without us?” I ventured. “We’re kind of the worst. Maybe they’re still meeting and just dropped our names off the list.”

Bracken chuckled. “I think you’re on to something. I’ve heard mention of Council meetings off and on over the years. If you’re no longer getting an invitation, that could be intentional.”

Gran pushed up off the sofa and began to pace. “Who do they think they are, cutting us out of the Council? We led the Council for centuries.”

“That could be why,” I mumbled.

Bracken glanced at me, mischief in his eyes.

While Gran continued to rant, I caught another swoop of a shadow across the window. There was nothing I could do about this Council issue, but I could try to do something about that dark entity circling Gran’s home. I had an idea.

When I stood, Gran paused her tirade, watching me expectantly.

“While you three figure out how we get back in the Council’s good graces, Declan and I are going up on the roof.”

Mom’s brows drew together.

“Gran, I can feel it. I can see it. Something is trying to break through our wards. I’m going to see if I can add a fae ward. Neither a wicche nor a demon should be able to break that.”

Declan rose.

“You guys keep it up,” I said. “I’ll let you know if my tainted blood helps save the day. Again.”

Declan dropped an arm around my shoulder and we went out the front door.

TWENTY-THREE

Fae v Demon

When we stepped through the door, I felt a chill.

“I thought demons were hot,” Declan said. “I sat near Dave once and started sweating.”

I nodded. “Yeah, he runs even hotter than you. I think this cold has something to do with the way they’re trying to break the wards.”

Stepping out onto the drive, I looked back at the house. The problem was that Gran’s home was like a bag of holding, appearing much smaller on the outside than the reality of the inside. Gran’s home looked to be a derelict cottage clinging to a cliff. Really, it was a gorgeous three-bedroom, three-bath showplace. The problem was figuring out how to get on the roof when the roof wasn’t where our eyes told us it was.

“Any idea how we get up there?” I asked.

He turned his back to me and crouched. “You can be my backpack and I’ll climb. I can’t jump, since I can’t see where I’ll be landing, and I don’t want to take off your grandmother’s gutters.”

I got on and wrapped my arms and legs around him.

He tugged my arm from his neck. “Maybe try not to strangle me.” Reaching up, he tried to locate the actual edge of the roof. He followed it around the corner and then came back to the front door. “I have an idea, but be ready to save us if this doesn’t work.” He picked up Gran’s heavy bench with ease and moved it out from under the porch overhang.

“Don’t judge me,” he grumbled. “This is going to be awkward as hell. She has high, peaked ceilings inside, so I’m assuming this is a peaked roof. If my aim is off and we fall, we’ll need some kind of magical air mattress down here.”

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