Page 70 of Highballs & Hexes

“Feckin’ charmer.” Noah shook his head. “If only I’d thought to say it that way earlier, I’d have saved an elbow to the solar plexus.”

“You manhandled me, ya tool!” she retorted.

“You did what?”Patrick’s temper exploded, and he raised his fists in preparation to pummel Noah.

Fi dove between them. “Not like that!”

“Far enough, boyo.” Patrick threw up a hand and created an eight-foot wall of fire in front of the fast-approaching Tadhg, careful to only let the younger man feel the heat yet not get burned. It moved when he did, blocking his path. With his other hand, Patrick eased up Fionola’s chin and focused all his attention on her wary eyes. “Explain it, please, love.”

“The first time or the second?” Noah asked with a snort.

“Ya manhandled hertwice?” His rage was at a fever pitch, almost blinding him to the concern on Fi’s face.

“No!” She elbowed Noah.

“Make that three times.” He rubbed his midsection. “You may want to rethink a relationship with her. She’s bloodthirsty, to be sure.”

“Noah, I swear to the Goddess, if you don’t shut your gob?—”

The two of them continued to bicker and fight like a couple of Tom cats with their tails tied together.

Patrick laughed. “Never mind. I’ve the feeling you got the worst of it, Noah Riley.”

“You can believe it,” his once-rival agreed. “And for the record, it was only a hand over her mouth to keep her from screeching when she heard Tadhg order Clara to kill ya. I feared she’d bring them running.”

Fi’s eye roll was adorable as feck, and Patrick lost the fight to hide his grin.

“Speaking of, the man’s skin is scarlet. He’s going to have a full-blown stroke if ya don’t release him,” Fintan said.

“Aye, it’s time to cool him off,” Fionola replied, opening her palms and pulling moisture from the gathering clouds to douse the fire and her thick brother with it.

As he gasped in outrage, dripping and looking like a drowned street rat, Tadhg’s face grew redder still.

“He might suffer a stroke regardless,” Noah muttered. “I’m amazed he hasn’t, with Fi as his sister.”

“Sure, and if you want another elbow to the ribs, craic on,” she warned. Striding forward, she shoved her brother’s chest. “What were you thinking by stabbing the man, ya feckin’ eejit? On the day the Goddess was handing out brains, yours went missing!”

Crossing his arms, Patrick enjoyed the show.

“Jaysus, you’re a lucky man, O’Malley,” Noah said in a low voice. “She’s likely to beat him bloody on your behalf.”

“She’d do the same for you or anyone she cares about. That’s our Fi.”

“Ours? You sound like you’re willing to be sharing, and I know bleedin’ well you’re not. And also, she has a say. Her choice is plain.”

Patrick’s desire to laugh died as he watched her. Anu hadn’t said he could keep Fi and still make restitution. She’d said he’d become her consort, which meant he’d move on to a non-earthly plane, and he didn’t know how to proceed without offending the Goddess.

“Your heart is heavy, and worry is eating at you,” Noah said. “What am I missing?”

“I’ll explain it in due time.”

“You’ll explain it now. Fi has five more minutes of her rant left.”

With the understanding Noah knew her better, Patrick walked a short distance away from the siblings to avoid being overheard. When the other men joined him, he explained what Anu had decreed.

“Aye, and it’s a shame another can’t take your place, pretending to be you,” Fintan said when he’d finished.

“Who would want to?” he asked, doubtful anyone would willingly accept his punishment for him.

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