a worse nightmare. For eighteen years, I’ve been afraid of exactly what ye’ve done to him. He was taken as a child, ye know, by a pervert. The man died, by me nephew’s hand. And when his friend Caeco , who’s been strangely silent over there, was threatened, he took out three soldiers and a vehicle. But what ye done was worse. I’m surprised ye have a building still standing. So in that regard, I guess I’m glad he chose the route he did. Except for breaking his promise. Maybe blasting the damned building would have been better. Come on, Declan. We’re leaving,” she said.
I didn’t move. Just looked at her and then my friends, who were all fascinated by the drama.
“Declan… come on,” she said again.
I finally shook my head. “Oh? That’s how it is, is it?” she said, hurt and anger flashing across her face.
“I think your nephew has made a large number of friends here, Miss O’Carroll. Despite the recent unpleasantness, he may still want to stay. Perhaps you and I could talk, just for a bit, maybe over some tea? You are absolutely right that we have gotten a great number of things wrong with our programming and your insight would be invaluable. A famous witch of your caliber? Critiquing our program? It would be a major boon,” Gina said, her tone sincere.
My aunt was still looking at me, reading my face, which I hoped was suitably sorry looking even as I felt determined to find a way to stay.
“You and I will have a little chat later, boy, don’t you jest know it,” she said, her voice a quiet, dangerous tone. “And put that wolf down.”
Instantly, I dropped Delwood, hearing him land on all fours behind me, but I still watched my aunt’s eyes. She held my gaze for a moment, her expression telling me I was in major trouble. Hearing claws clicking, I turned and watched the massive werewolf, but he just shook his fur and then trotted over to Jenks who, in turn, was watching me like I was the feral animal in the room.
“Okay then. Let’s call it a class, then? Have a good day everyone and we’ll see you all tonight at dinner,” Gina said, quickly moving to my aunt and talking in her ear. After a moment, my aunt turned her way and then they moved off out the door and right toward the dining room.
“Dude, that was freaking awesome!” Mack said, slapping my back. I winced as my ribs compressed, and he apologized. But my attention was now on the pack of kids that surrounded me. Ariel, Ashley, T.J., and Justin, but also the witch pack and even some of the werewolves, notably Janek and his sister Darina, as well as Matthew.
Jetta was talking to Caeco a few feet away.
“You’re an Irwin witch?” Britta asked. Beside her, Zuzana was looking at me in almost complete shock, whereas the others wore expressions that told me they were either trying to figure me out or were just flat-out wowed by all the drama.
I nodded to Britta.
“And your mother was Maeve Irwin? The Maeve Irwin?” Britta continued. I looked around for a pad to write on. An iPhone appeared in front of me, opened to a Notepad screen, held by a slim white hand.
I took it, nodding my thanks to Katrina, who was now on my right side. Typing quickly, I held it up for all to see.
Yes, she died when I was eight. Murdered in Boston. She and my aunt were betrayed by the rest of their circle.
“Betrayed? How? Why?” Erika asked.
Their mother, my grandmother, was leader. She died and another witch took over. Feared my mom. Tried to marry her off to a Croatian witch. He raped her. They fled here.
“I thought an Irwin wouldn’t run from a fight?” Janek asked, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. I looked at him for a second, then choose my response.
If your entire Pack turned on you, would you stay and fight them? Kill them? Your own family? Particularly if most of them were following the orders of your leader?
He frowned. “Okay, that’s different, I guess. Didn’t think of it that way.”
“All right, enough of twenty questions. Declan needs some alone time with his girlfriend,” Jetta interjected, shoving her way into the crowd. She grabbed my hand and towed me through the pack of kids, past a rather shocked-looking Zuzanna to the open spot where Caeco was standing.
“You two kids have some