Page 42 of The Aether

Hugging him, Vivian said, “Thank you, Ronan. Your care of our children means the world to us.”

A shot rang out, and from a short distance away, Josie cried out.

Damian and Ronan reacted instantly, throwing their arms up and encompassing both groups in protective bubbles.

“Get to my children! Now!” her husband ordered.

CHAPTER16

“Go with them!” After urging Vivian toward Ronan and Dubheasa, Damian ran for his daughter. How the hell did neither of them see this coming? Where was their standard early warning system?

“Morcant,” Josie gasped from where she’d fallen. “He’s here. I feel him. He’s tracked me here to you.”

“How is that possible? He’s supposed to be dead.” Taryn looked up at Damian from beside her sister. “And why don’t you seem as surprised as the rest of us?”

Ignoring her, he said, “Everyone remain calm. Remember, he thrives on chaos.”

“He creates the chaos,” Soleil muttered. She drew Josie’s hands away from her belly to examine the wound, only to forcefully put them back and add the pressure of her own.

“How bad is it?” he asked.

“I’m not a doctor, but it doesn’t look good to me, and Josie’s growing paler by the second.”

“I’ll remove it. Let’s teleport her to the dining room.” Vivian’s hand on his shoulder distracted him. “What are you doing here? I thought you were going with Ronan and Dubheasa.”

She pointed to Sabrina, who had walked ten yards away to stare out over the tree line.

“What’s she doing?” Vivian asked in a low voice.

“I’m not sure,” he replied, equally as low. “Are you able to get your sisters safely inside?”

“Yes.”

Damian approached Sabrina, following her sight line. “What do you see, my love?”

“They are testing your wards, Papa. But they won’t get inside tonight.”

“How did we never see this coming?”

“I did. Mama needs to let Aunt Josie’s blood flow. You should tell her that.”

His heart picked up its pace, but he regulated his breathing and focused on not giving his adrenaline the upper hand. Morcant didn’t need the fuel.

“If her sister dies, I doubt your mother could forgive me.”

“We need the Death Dealer. He can help.”

Suppressing the urge to swear like a drunken sailor in a bar fight, Damian lifted Sabrina. “Is it safe to leave Morcant’s crew out there?”

“Yes. They can do no more.”

“Hold tight.”

Closing his eyes, he visualized his study and sent out a magical feeler to make sure no one was in the room. When he was satisfied he wouldn’t crash into anyone during the teleport, he allowed his cells to fire up. After they arrived, he set Sabrina on her feet. “Go tell your mother what you told me, Beastie. I’ll call Trevor Blane.”

“Okay.” Acting as if it were another day in the park, Sabrina skipped away.

“Do you find it odd that your daughter has no fear in the middle of a crisis?”

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