Page 150 of Bedeviled

Eislyn doesn’t say anything for a long moment. Finally, “I’ve only just whetted my appetite for vengeance, little human.”

Click.

CHAPTER 37

The drive from Henbane is several different shades of awful. Memnon and I wear the blood of my coven sisters like war paint, my hands still shake, and I swear I can still hear the wet cries of witches echoing in my ears. That’s the final memory of my coven sisters I have to leave with.

I crane my neck over my shoulder, looking past Nero who lazes in the back to catch a glimpse of my father’s car, which trails ours. He’s barely steady enough to drive, and the only reason he’s not in our vehicle right now is because we’re required to exit campus with all our belongings—including cars.

Beyond my dad’s SUV, I take in Henbane, with its glittering conservatory on one end and its domed observatory on the other. My heart lurches at the parting glimpse of it all. I didn’t know hearts could break over things as seemingly mundane as a school closing. But I do feel shattered.

Behind the wheel, Memnon is a storm cloud, his emotions roiling ever since we left Henbane. Eislyn was his great downfall, the one his pride never saw coming. And here she is again, wreaking havoc on our lives and proving all over again that Memnon’s power is nothing compared to hers.

We eventually turn onto the long driveway that leads to our house. As soon as the whimsical home comes into view, warmth spreads low in my belly. I hate that Henbane has closed, but as far as silver linings go, I do really like it here.

Memnon parks the car and hops out. I’ve only managed to undo my seat belt when the passenger door opens, and my sorcerer grabs the couple spare notebooks resting on my lap and tucks them under his arm before reaching for me. The nice gesture, however, is ruined when Nero barges his way between us.

I grunt as my panther steps across my lap and then whacks me with his tail as he leaps out.

Cats, man.

He disappears into the shadows around our house, leaving me to stare after him.

I rip my gaze away to look at Memnon. “He’s sleeping in the guest bedroom tonight.”

The sorcerer looks like he’s trying not to laugh, and I swear I hear the stray word pussy float through my thoughts, and I’m pretty sure he just made a dirty joke and I missed it entirely.

My father’s SUV rolls up then, pulling in next to us. His engine cuts off, and his door opens.

Even with only the house’s soft outdoor lighting to illuminate us, I can tell that my father is still shaking. He shuts the door to his car, walks right up to me, and envelops me in his arms.

“I’m sorry, Selene,” he whispers. “We should’ve come back to the States sooner, should’ve gotten you out of there sooner—” His voice breaks, and it’s me who begins rubbing his back.

“It’s okay, Dad. You moved me out today, so you don’t have to worry about anything else happening.”

I don’t elaborate on the fact that more things will in fact happen since the attack wasn’t about Henbane, it was about me.

But my poor, sweet father’s heart can only take so much.

“Will you be safe here?” he asks, sniffling as he pulls away. “You know you both can stay with us.”

And bring Eislyn’s wrath upon my parents?

Goddess no.

“I’ll be safe here, Dad,” I promise.

He nods, hanging his head a little.

Memnon steps in then and places a hand on my father’s back. “Let me show you the wards and enchantments I’ve placed about the property and the house, and if you’d like, you can add to them.”

My dad draws in a deep breath through his nose. “I’d like that.”

And that’s how the two of them spend the next thirty minutes, moving about the house and the perimeter of the property, Memnon pointing out where he’s placed his protective spells.

I tear up when I see my dad’s spring-green magic billow out of him and spread across the sky like a film before settling into his own ward.

After that, my dad comes inside, and I make all of us hot chocolates with whipped cream and sprinkles. Which, side note, Memnon must’ve shopped for all these ingredients at some point, and that visual tickles me to no end.