Thirty-seven

Half-listening to the conversation as it brought her partly out of her slumber, Grace yawned and curled a little closer to Eli, “They wanted to go to my family’s vineyard. I never even thought about what my family might get told if I were murdered by witches.” 

Eli rubbed her back but she felt him tense.

“How close are you to your family?” 

“Not as close as some people, I guess, I try to call every week and talk to my mom.” The thought occurred to her, “What day is it? I probably need to call them, I don’t even know what I’d say about this week though.”

“The only way through is forward.” Bas sighed. “Put it off a little longer. After we get back and things are explained properly you can talk to Sibbi and see what she suggests as the best way forward.”

One of the women came back in and directed some others to set down grocery bags.

“What kind of salt do you need for her, Bas? I had them buy the local places out of sea salt, that pink rock salt, any salt they could find in large packages. I think someone grabbed a bag of road salt.”

The witch laughed and shook his head. “Thank you. She can use any kind but she tends to prefer sea salt. When she’s ready I’ll take it down. They need the time together. She’s resilient but he is her joy and her balance.” His face broke into a delighted smile, “And here is mine. Maria!”

“You’re supposed to be resting, Bas.” A stunning dark-haired woman, grinned as she came and dropped onto the man’s lap in the recliner. 

“How is Ruby?”

“She’s a little weak but Jacob is with her. Aurel is scolding Madam Cate for splitting us all up. If he and I hadn’t been sent ahead to scout the odds would have been in her favor.”

“Why did she?” Eli frowned at them.

“She had a feeling that having Remi and I together might be dangerous, putting too many eggs in one basket. If we were both hurt the two of you would be inconsolable. She had me in a separate car with Aurel and she thought that she, Layla, Dia, and Ruby would be enough if the witch caught them following.”

“It wasn’t?” Grace sighed as Eli squeezed her and stroked her back.

“That kind of witch is dangerous.” He gave an apologetic look to Bas, “It’s good that they’re rare.”

Bas laughed and shrugged, “They could be so much better. They could do wonderful things and some have. Over the years… more have been like my father and Lloyd than there should have been.”

“Warnings were given.” The pale man who’s name she suddenly couldn’t remember approached them with a wry smile. “I was told they may be finished.”

Closing his eyes for a moment, Bas smiled faintly. “Let me take her the salt first.”

The woman in his lap gave him a stern look. “You haven’t rested. I can tell, Bas.”

“I rested, but I can’t sleep until she does.”

Maria turned an angry look on the pale man standing near them. “You should let them sleep first.”

“Let me take her the salt, my love. After that, she can speak to Maeryn and we can all make our arrangements to get some sleep. I think we may be going elsewhere for that.”

“Arrangements are being made.” Maeryn nodded. “The witches with me have notified the lines, I have no doubt. I told the,” he hesitated slightly, “Alphas. They want to be on more certain territory before they arrive.”

The basement door opened and Remi stuck his head out, “Genevieve says to remind people that the Bathim need to travel back with us. She wants them close. I told her that we can ride in the truck with them but not in the back.”

More people started to come in, Mr. and Mrs. Germain, and the older man as well with a few others.

“Talking travel arrangements?” Mr. Germain smiled wryly. “We’re patching up the doors on the truck we brought the Bathim in and it should be good enough to get us into the Benson’s territory.”

“I think my territory has just gotten a little larger.” The older man smiled mischievously. “I've wanted a little piece of land up here for the pack and I couldn’t have asked for a better one.”

“This is Coby’s land.” Grace sat up feeling a little sick to her stomach.

“And it will continue to be.” The older man’s smile was reassuring, “What belongs to one pack member belongs to all. He’ll join my pack and we’ll look after him and the land up here. We will need to buy a bit more of it and do some building…”

“No one likes to sell.” Coby smiled faintly. “I would have left it to family but…” He looked at the woman who had come to kneel next to the sofa by his head. “Maybe I’m not too old to start my own.”

“You can always ask Vivi.” The older man grinned wolfishly. “She told some friends of ours to expect twins before they were conceived.”

“There’s another bow in the branches of the tree in the window she made for them.” Mr. Germain grinned back. “I think they can expect another daughter before long.”

“Dia!” Several of the people around her chuckled. “Go ask Vivi when I’ll be meeting my grandchildren.”

The woman gave him a deeply annoyed look while the others laughed. Grace suddenly noticed that Bas and his wife were gone and so was the pale man who had wanted to visit Genevieve.

Eli squeezed her. “They went to clear the basement with her saltwater. You don’t have to worry.”

“It’s hard not to…” 

“Maeryn said that the house was ‘unsettled’ right now. Vivi has to fix it. While they talk and take care of that,” Mr. Germain smiled warmly, “let’s get the two of you on your way to somewhere safe and comfortable. Eli will stay with you, Grace.”

“And Layla will stay with Coby.” The older man gave them a smile and a nod of his head. “My pack has booked out an inn roughly three hours from here. They’ve already set up the perimeter and it will be private.” The look he gave Eli was oddly pointed. “It may take Vivi a few days to clear the house.”

“I want to stay.” Coby frowned. “I want to get the place closed up.”

“I’ll have someone walk around it with you and you can tell them what needs to be done. You need your rest, Coby.” The older man gave him another warm smile and the door to the basement opened.

“Alpha Germain? Alpha Benson?” Maria peered out with a smile. “The Sibyl needs to speak to you both.”