Page 69 of Shifting Winds
“Get. Out,” I said through clenched teeth.
Ben snorted. When Caelan made no move, the healer teased. “Did you hear her? Get out.”
I turned my furious gaze on Ben. “Both of you. Get out of my house.”
Ben’s eyes widened. “Evie. That’s unnecessary. You need?—”
“If I have to get up, I’m never speaking to either one of you again. What I need is some peace in my own damn house. Get your shit and get out.”
Caelan’s eyes flared gold, but after being with me for a while, the man had learned. He went straight to my bedroom and packed up the small duffel he’d brought. Before he left, he came over and crouched beside me. “Call me if you need something.” His eyes softened. “Though I doubt you will.” He let out a heavy breath. “Sorry I’m an asshole.”
I snorted. “Give me a few days.”
He nodded. “There are some things we need to discuss.” Brushing a kiss over my cheek, he rose and headed out the door with a nod at Moira.
Ben, not as smart as Caelan, had not moved. “Evie, that wasn’t my fault. You need someone to stay with you?—”
“I’m here,” Moira said. “I’d listen to Evie if I were you.”
His teeth flashed. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Ben,” I said, feeling my frayed patience about to snap. “Moira is here. She’s more than competent enough to help me to the bathroom. I won’t ask again. Leave.”
His eyes flashed that frightening, icy blue. With a tight jaw, he started to speak again, but Moira held up her hand. Her eyes flashed a vivid emerald. “As much as we appreciate you staying here to help Evie, please consider your services rendered and your time here at an end.”
For a moment, I thought the situation might devolve into a fight, but after a long, tense moment, Ben stalked into the guest room and grabbed his bag. Without a word, he let himself out, slamming the door behind him.
“Fuuuuuuuck,” I said in a loud groan. “Why do women ever get married?”
Moira laughed. “Normally, there’s only one asshole to deal with.”
I sank deeper into the couch and adjusted the blanket around my hips. “I can feel the testosterone draining from the air.”
“Like a deflated balloon,” she said as she set a kettle on the stove to boil. “I’ll stay tonight and see how you’re doing tomorrow.”
“Are you sure? I’m fine to stay by myself.”
She rolled her eyes. “You haven’t moved from the couch since I’ve gotten here. I bet you can’t.” Her eyebrows flicked up when I didn’t respond. “Exactly,” she said quietly. “Do you need to pee?”
“No.” Yes.
“You will after you drink the tea. I’ll help you then.” She came back over and plopped down. “Now let’s discuss this lock and how you’re going to open it.”
Chapter
Twenty-Two
After a quick call to Hazel, Moira and I were stumped. The older witch was adamant I did nothing of the sort to myself while I was there. When I described what it looked like, Hazel had consulted some texts but came up empty.
Her advice was to “poke it with a mental stick and see what happened.”
“Should we wait?” I said.
“Up to you.” Moira shoved a French fry into her mouth and chewed.
She’d gone to pick up dinner, and I wanted to kiss her right on her pretty mouth, because all Caelan and Ben had let me eat was soup and bread. I was immortal, not an eight-year-old child. Moira had picked me up a double cheeseburger from one of our favorite mom and pop restaurants and some of their to-die-for curly fries.
I voted for now. “What the hell was in that brew you made me?”
