Wiley grinned as Grey rolled his eyes and pointed at Dane. “And him?”
Lucien looked uncomfortable as he admitted, “You got me on that one.”
Flo suddenly appeared next to Lucien and Wiley jumped, falling onto the couch cushion closer to Baer. The man wrapped a newly healed arm around his shoulder and pulled him in tight, causing a nearly silent sigh to slip from Wiley’s lips.
Lucien’s eyes went wide as he scrambled away from her. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“Ah, Lucien, it’s so good to see you’ve finally arrived.”
“I have? You know me? What the fuck?” He inched away from her a little more, staring at her as if she were one of the rats that had attacked Baer and Clay.
She gave a small shake of her head. “And always so succinct.” She turned her attention to Clay and Baer. “You had trouble getting him?”
Baer nodded as he leaned forward and reached for the whiskey bottle. Wiley didn’t even think twice before handing him his empty glass. Baer took it with a nod of thanks and a wink. “They sent a witch after us this time. She could control rats. I couldn’t get through to them.”
Flo nodded. “You defeated their last bunch, so they are going to start throwing bigger threats at you. It’s the usual pattern. And considering your last shenanigans, they know we have our Animal Weaver. Makes sense to send someone you’d have trouble fighting.”
Baer poured two fingers of whiskey, returned the bottle to the table, and held the glass between both hands. “Why not send in the big guns right away?”
“I don’t think they have a lot of magic users. Can’t afford to waste them early on,” Flo paused, chewing on her bottom lip for a second in thought. “When you’re all together, your powers increase. They save the worst for then.”
“Terrific,” Baer drawled before gulping down some whiskey.
“Okay, someone needs to explain exactly why I’m here. You guys think I’m one of you?” Lucien stepped away from Flo, looking at her like he expected her to disappear at any second. “And how did you just appear?”
“I’m a goddess, so I can do pretty much what I want,” she boasted with a smug look.
“Then why don’t you kill off these smelly monsters?” Lucien snapped, which effectively wiped away Flo’s smug look, turning it into a glare. Wiley hated to admit that he had the same question, but he definitely wasn’t brave enough to ask it.
“Because as amazing as I am, there are limitations to my powers,” Flo grumbled. “The pestilents are siphoning off the Earth’s life force, its very essence. The more they steal, the weaker my sisters and I become. We shared some of our magic with the Circle.” Flo made a soft tsking sound. “Basic math, kid. Six is bigger than three.”
“Okay. Maybe. But I still think you got the wrong guy.”
“Were you drawn south after wandering restlessly for a long time?”
“Yes.”
“And do you feel a sort of connection to the other men in this room?”
“With all but two.” He pointed at Grey. “I feel like I know you the most, and we’ve never met. I would remember.”
Grey cocked an eyebrow. “We know each other because you’re one of us. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. I knew instantly. Plus, we have a few things we can show you that will help convince you.”
Wiley wondered what those things were, but he kept his questions to himself. This was all too interesting, and he didn’t want to stop the conversation.
“What powers do you all have? Like superpowers? Flying and shit?” Lucien asked.
“I have the power of earth, and Baer here,” Clay pointed at Baer next to him, “has the power to shift into animal form. He can also control animals. Most of the time. Grey is our Soul Weaver and just so you know, he can sometimes hear your thoughts.”
Lucien’s brows met in a frown. “Yeah, I wouldn’t like that.”
Grey leaned against the wall. “I don’t do it on purpose.” Grey paused and smirked. “Well, most of the time I don’t. It’s how I knew all those things about you back in Savannah. How we were able to find you in the first place.”
“And now?”
“Right now, you think we’re all crazy, but you’re willing to listen because you just watched Dane heal those two with magic.”
“But you’re not a Weaver?” Lucien asked Dane. “You obviously have powers.”
“I got mine in a bonding ceremony. It was a surprise to us all.” Dane leaned against Clay’s legs, clearly tired now. Clay stroked a hand over his head. Wiley watched them, touched by the closeness between the two men. He looked at Baer, who was still covered in blood, and wanted nothing more than to take him upstairs and care for him. Fatigue had created lines in his face that usually weren’t there, and he sat slumped on the couch.