Page 77 of The Aether

“That’s all I can ask. Thank you.”

“You’re the reason we’re alive, Damian. You don’t ever need to ask. We’ll be here for him.”

He smiled his genuine affection for her. “You’re not enslaved to me, my dear. Saving you was not for gain. It was because you’re my friends.”

“Taking care of your children is our honor, man, because we’reyourfriends,” Ronan said from behind him. “I’ll be going with ya to get the wee wild beastie back.”

“You should stay with your mate. If Morcant wins this round, she may need the backup.”

Ronan’s light-blue eyes locked on Dubheasa. “It’s your call, me love.”

“There’s wisdom in his words, but I don’t see how Morcant can win with so many of you to take the fecker down.”

A wicked grin nearly split Ronan’s face in two. “Sure, and he’ll surrender all on his own if he learns he’s to facedown you, Dove. A more fierce opponent never lived.”

“Go on with you, you eejit.”

“You sound more like your sister, Bridget, every day,” Ronan quipped. Striding across the room, he swept her in a dip, baby and all, then planted a loud smacking kiss on her laughing mouth before uprighting her. “Sure, and that should be keeping ya ’til I return.”

A sweeping sadness, not his own, settled in Damian’s heart, and he shifted to face Trevor. “Are you upset she picked Ronan over you?”

“No. I didn’t have time to fall into feelings,” he replied with a humorless chuckle. “But at odd moments, I feel the sting of loneliness. Unfortunately, what I am doesn’t allow for long term without consequences for a lover.”

“Your brother, Simon, found love.”

“That’s my point. His wife contracted cancer because of him. If you didn’t step in, Evelyn would’ve eventually gone the same way as his first wife.”

“I’d offer to step in for you, but we both know I might not be around by the time you form a relationship.” Damian clasped a hand on Trevor’s shoulder. “But I promise you, Blane. If I am, I’ll infuse the healing magic into your mate’s DNA.”

Lips twisted in a semblance of a smile, Trevor nodded. “How about we get through today first? If we want to revive Vivian, we don’t have much time left.”

* * *

Sabrina kept her eyes squeezed shut and concentrated on the memories of Papa laughing with Grandpa Nate as they made pancakes for the contest she was to judge. Her father hadn’t been scary after that day. Within a short time, he’d become her adoring Papa, and nothing she did was bad to him. Most times, he laughed behind his hand when Mama scolded her for being naughty.

Remembering when he would sneak her chocolate cake after Mama said no, Sabrina smiled and hugged the feeling close to her. Anything to block the image of her dead mother.

For a second, her mood shifted, but she righted it again. If she gave in to the sadness trying to overwhelm her, Morcant would break her protective bubble and get her. She wasn’t beyond feeling satisfaction that he’d burned himself when he shoved her into the cell earlier.

“When your father comes, he’ll die just like your mother, girl,” Morcant’s partner jeered, hoping to pierce her emotional shell.

Lifting her lids, she focused on his cruel beady eyes. “You’re going to burn when Papa comes. Like the witches of Salem.”

When wariness crossed his features, she smiled cheerfully. “You are going to scream and scream and scream, but no sound will come from your throat. No one will hear you in your last minutes.”

“Shut your mouth, bitch, or I’ll shut it for you.”

“You can try.” Sabrina laughed, hoping she sounded exactly like the Enchantress when she had terrorized the witch community.

Fear filled his face, and he glanced over his shoulder to see where his friends were.

“They can’t help you, Ernie.”

“Why do you keep calling me Ernie? My name is Carl,” he practically shouted.

She cocked her head and smirked, knowing it was driving him crazy that she wouldn’t say. The second she’d seen him, she almost laughed. With his orange spray tan, bulbous nose, and spiked black hair, the man resembled the puppet from a popular children’s show.

His skin darkened with his anger, and Sabrina began to sing the Rubber Duck song to annoy him further.

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