Page 56 of Dead End

“You shouldn’t,” Kami said. “You were kind to him while he lived, and that’s what matters.” She shot a pained glance at me. “They’ll come for you now. The survivors will regroup and strike quickly.”

I shuddered at the thought of what an angry gaggle of gods would be willing to do to me and the rest of Fairhaven in retaliation. This was no longer a battle of wills.

This was war.

Kami motioned for me to follow her into the foyer. I patted Libby’s head. “I’ll be back in a minute. I’ll bring you a glass of water.”

Sage gave me a firm look. “I’ve got this, Lorelei.”

I joined Kami in the foyer. “What is it?”

She unzipped her messenger bag and reached inside, producing a metal collar like the one I’d worn. “I brought these.”

I stared at her blankly. “Why?”

Hesitation flickered in her brown eyes. “I don’t know. I was hoping you would.”

“You had a vision?”

She nodded. “That’s why I hid in the barn with them. I didn’t know what was coming, only that I needed be with the animals when it did.” She thrust out the bag. “And to bring this to you when I escaped.”

I couldn’t see how the collars would be helpful. It wasn’t like I planned to get close enough to any retaliatory gods to fasten them around their necks. And where would I keep them if I did—my basement?

“The Corporation was already angry about the destruction of the lab. Unas is going to send them over the edge,” Kami said.

“At least they can’t use new avatars to attack.”

Kami lowered her gaze. “Actually, you only destroyed one of the labs. There’s a second one. You may have set back their progress, but the new avatar program survived.”

My head started to throb. None of this was good news. “Did your department foresee anything positive this week?”

“It was a strange week. No one in the department had any visions at all, except for me.” Her tongue darted out to swipe her lip. “And I didn’t share mine.”

Libby cried out in pain. I whirled around and dashed back to the parlor room. West’s arm shot out to stop me.

“Just a few stitches,” Sage said, without looking up from her handiwork. “She’s okay.” The fae’s face softened. “You did yourself no favors by coming all the way here in your condition.”

Libby spoke with a slight wheeze. “I wanted to warn her. They’ll blame her for this.”

“You should rest,” Sage said gently.

I stroked Libby’s hair. “Thank you for coming. It must’ve been very difficult for you.”

“Which is why she needs to rest,” Sage urged. “Everyone out. Give her space.”

“She’s so bossy,” Anna grumbled.

West grinned. “I know. I love it. You heard the lady, everyone out.”

I stalked into the kitchen and dropped into a chair, burying my head in my hands.

“I take it this is bad for us,” West said. He pulled out the chair beside me and sat.

I lifted my head to look at him. There was no point in sugarcoating it. “Very.”

Kami joined us at the table. “I’m sorry, Melinoe.”

“How long do you think we have until your cavalry arrives?” West asked.

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