“Holy shitballs,” Sky exclaimed, sitting forward in her seat.
“Yeah, that about sums it up.” Turner laughed.
“Turner actually came along the same year I left,” Lark said. “Neither of us knew about the other until now.”
“But . . . wait,” Dev said, rubbing his forehead with his thumb and middle finger. “We are talking about the cult, right? You wereallraised in a cult? Thesamecult?”
The three of us looked at each other and just shrugged, immediately laughing afterward.
“Seems like,” I said. “And can I just say that it’s a really good thing we can laugh about this now, even though it’s no laughing matter?”
“Oh, you poor dears,” Harper said, shaking her head. “You are all going to need some serious therapy.”
“You’re not wrong,” Turner answered. “What’s your hourly rate?” He smiled at Harper, and I saw a little of the tension leave her shoulders. “But here’s the thing,” he continued. “Now that we know all this, things have become even more complicated.”
“How in the actual fuck can they getmorecomplicated?” Aaron asked.
“Preach, brother!” Sky exclaimed.
“Seriously. Right?” Turner said. “That family emergency I want home for? It was to see my mom. She’s gotten really bad, but I didn’t even get to see her. Dad used her to lure me back and then ambushed me.”
He turned to Lark, their gazes clashing, the look on his face devastated.
“I’m so sorry. He just came out with it. I tried to deny it, but he knew I was lying. Took away my access to the ranch and even had Damien lead me out basically at gunpoint. But, yeah, he knows where you are, Lark.”
I watched Lark’s skin go pale as she clasped her hands in her lap, her knuckles bleaching white and her eyes widening in a face gone slack. “It’s . . .” she started. “It’s not your fault. I knew this day would come eventually. It was the risk I took staying in the state. I just—I just don’t know what to do exactly. I won’t let myself be taken back there. I refuse to let that psychopath get his way. But I’m not willing to walk away from the life I’ve built here, either.” She looked up, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
My stomach suddenly felt hollow, and I reached an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to me. She trembled in my hold.
“There is no way we’re letting that happen,” Hanlen asserted, her voice soothing but full of resolve as she crouched in front of Lark, putting her hand on her knee. “None of it. I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say that that douchebag won’t lay a hand on you. Not if we have anything to say about it.”
Everyone in the room agreed, vehemently lending their support. I already felt so connected to this group of people. And in only days. I could see why Lark wouldn’t want to walk away from the family she had created here.
“Hanlen’s right, Birdie,” Dev said. “We’re not without the means to protect you.”
“But what about all ofyou?” she said, her voice breaking on the last word, the tremors in her body still seeping into mine. I couldn’t imagine the terror she must be drowning in right now. My heart ached for the pain of it all and yet swelled at her spirit. That was so very Lark, always looking out for others before herself.
“That fucker isn’t going to touchanyonein this family,” Hanlen said, her voice like steel, her hand squeezing Lark’s knee.
“He’s used to preying on the helpless and fearful.Noneof us are that,” Van asserted, his tone almost containing a growl.
Dev stood, coming to stand behind Hanlen and drawing Lark’s attention. She shifted her gaze from her lap to his face. “He steals magic. Youaremagic.”
I immediately saw the change in Lark. Her back straightened and she drew in a fortifying breath. I could almost feel the air charge with power, as if her magic were answering Dev’s call.
“Between you and the rest of us, we’ve got this.” Dev held out his hand to her. Hanlen moved out of the way, and Lark took his proffered palm with a smile. I felt a little of the weight that had settled in my stomach dissipate.
“What do you say we work a little magic, huh?” Dev asked, pulling Lark to her feet.
“I think that sounds fantastic,” Lark agreed and gave him a little hug.
Minutes later, I watched, utterly in awe, as Lark and Dev gathered items like candles and herbs and crystals, setting them all by a gorgeous yet wicked-looking knife and a rattle on the table and began mixing and crushing and boiling and burning, all the while chanting and gesturing, working in tandem as if they had done it a million times. And maybe they had.
Once again, the air felt charged, like standing in the middle of a field during a lightning storm.
When they finished, they both looked exhausted, but I felt nearly invincible.
“Wow,” I said, not able to do much of anything but sit there and stare.