Kaylia’s gaze shifted back to Cole. “You’re welcome.”
“Shit,” Lexi breathed. “Thank you.”
“Finally, someone with some manners. You’re welcome,” Kaylia replied with a tight-lipped smile that was anything but warm.
“I’m Brokk, not vamp,” Brokk said to her. “And maybe you should show some manners considering I’m standing between you and my brother who wants you dead.”
Kaylia glared at him but didn’t respond before turning her attention haughtily away. Cole was beginning to like her less and less. No one treated his little brother like that.
“You’re not going to leave here knowing what you do about her,” Cole told her.
“I saved her life.”
“And you could destroy it by revealing what you’ve discovered.”
“I aligned myself and the rest of the crones with you, and your cause, when I gave Sahira the harrow stone. There is no turning back for me or them.”
“That was before you knew about her,” he reminded her.
Sahira and Varo appeared in the hallway. Sahira held a tray of cheese and apple slices while Varo carried one filled with glasses and two decanters. One decanter had a reddish liquid, while the other contained an amber one.
Though they couldn’t see into the library where Kaylia and the others stood, his stance and Lexi’s uneasy glance told them things weren’t good. Sahira set her tray on one of the stairs, and Varo did the same before coming closer. They stayed to the side of Cole but positioned themselves so they could see into the library now.
Lexi rested her hand on his arm and stepped out from behind him. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. Including letting us use the stone,” she said.
“Don’t thank her, she’s a danger to you,” Cole said.
“No, I’m not,” Kaylia replied as she focused on Lexi. “Not only did I save your life, but when I gave you and your friends the harrow stone, I put my own life, and the lives of those I love, at risk. I’m not going to turn you over to the Lord; he’ll kill me once he learns of my role in this.”
“She’s clearly not the enemy,” Lexi said.
Orin groaned and dropped his head into his hand. “Save me from the ones with hearts and scruples.”
“Oh, shut up,” Lexi snapped. “She’s helped us multiple times.”
“She cannot leave here with the knowledge of what you are,” Cole said. “None of the other crones know of your heritage, and it has to stay that way.”
“I wouldn’t tell them,” Kaylia replied. “Not until you’re prepared for the war her existence will bring or until you give me permission to do so. With her abilities—”
“What are my abilities?” Lexi interrupted.
Kaylia’s eyebrows shot up. “How do you not know?”
“Lexi,” Cole warned. “We can’t trust her.”
“But I do.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Orin muttered.
“So do I,” Varo murmured, in his quiet, soothing way that even took a small edge off Cole’s anger and distrust.
“Oh, goodie,” Orin said. “Now we have two of you with scruples. We’re never going to win this war.”
“Yes, we will,” Kaylia retorted.
This time, it was Cole’s eyebrows that rose over the vehemence in her tone. She’d just gotten involved in this, but for the first time, he believed she might truly be on their side and might not have to die.
“Why don’t you know about your abilities?” Kaylia asked again. “How have you managed to stay hidden for so long? I knew some arach; that’s how I ended up with the harrow stone.
“When the war between them was really starting to amp up, my friend Fenmenor showed me how to use the harrow stone and gave it to me for safekeeping. I placed the curse on the stone because I wasn’t as capable as an arach to guard it. I figured that when he returned for it, I would remove the curse, but I never saw him again.”
Cole wasn’t sure if it was an act or what, but he saw true emotion in the crone’s eyes for the first time. That sheen in them might have even been tears, but she blinked them away too fast for him to be certain.
“So, the arach trusted you too,” Lexi said.
“That one did, and I knew others too,” Kaylia replied. “I can help you with your abilities.”
“Do you know what they are?” Cole demanded.
“Well,” Kaylia hedged before sighing. “No, not really. The arach were very private about that and kept a lot of what they could do hidden. But, I can show you how to use the stone, we know they could withstand fire, and we also know they could throw fire. Can you do any of that?”
“Not yet,” Lexi admitted.
“And why not? No one has answered that for me yet.”
“Because we kept her powers suppressed from the time she was a baby,” Sahira replied. “We believed it was the best way to keep her safe.”
“Who did?”
“Me and my brother,” Sahira said and nodded toward Del.
“They’re my aunt and my dad,” Lexi said. “They kept me alive and safe.”
“She didn’t know what she truly was until recently,” Del said.
Kaylia studied Del like he was some kind of alien frog monster. “You took care of her.”
“I told you, you have a lot to learn about vampires,” Del replied.
“He’s a great dad,” Lexi said defensively. “I never would have guessed he wasn’t my real father or that Sahira wasn’t my aunt until they told me the truth. I’ve always been loved, and if you don’t like them, then we are going to have a problem.”
Cole smiled at the crone while her mouth opened and closed as she tried to form words and failed miserably.
“We’re not going to have a problem,” Kaylia finally said. “I’m just surprised to learn such a thing about vampires.”
“We’re not monsters,” Brokk retorted.
“Most of you are.”
“That’s enough,” Lexi interjected. “I understand that you may be able to help, but these are my friends and family. I won’t let you treat them badly. I’d prefer not to have your help in this.”
Which meant Cole would have to kill her or lock her away somewhere.
Kaylia’s shoulders went back again. “You need my help, and I can give it. Few are more in tune with nature and magical abilities than me. I am the oldest living witch, and I can sense and intuit things that no others can.”
“This is true,” Sahira said. “Kaylia is an extremely powerful witch who has helped many master their abilities.”
“Many witches,” Cole said. “She knows what witches are capable of doing; she doesn’t know what the arach can do.”
“That is true, but I can help her figure it out,” Kaylia insisted.
“And why would you do that?”
“She is”—Kaylia’s eyes locked on Lexi’s—“you are needed to defeat the Lord, and that is something I want to do. He has to die.”
Chapter 3