looking for something anyway as of this morning, and it might be entertaining to watch the two of you sink to the bottom of the waterway.”
“You’re insane. You can’t just tell somebody that and think it’s going to be all right with them.” Mercy asked Tag if he thought anyone would care. “I will. Damn it all to fuck and back. You can’t say that sort of thing. What if I believed you?”
“You should.” If she’d not been looking right at Tag, she wouldn’t have believed it. Not only did he rise up from the seat he’d been sitting on, but he turned blue. “Right now, I can snap your neck, and not one person here would care one bit. Even if I were to change into my bird and pick you up by my claws, no one would come to your aid. No one wants you around.”
“You’re killing him.” Retha looked around. There were people having cones, but not one of them came to ask what Mercy was doing. “Let him go, damn it. That’s my husband you’re killing.”
Just as she thought Mercy was really going to kill him, he flew across the parking lot and hit the brick building there. Retha knew he was dead. The way he was bleeding down the wall and with his head all smashed made her think the woman was stronger than she looked.
Mercy looked at her. Anger. It was as strong on her face as anything Retha had ever seen before. Backing away from her, she stopped moving when she was lifted up as well. Closing her eyes, Retha just knew she was going to be joining her husband as a freaky art project on the wall behind her.
“I should end you right now for what you’ve done.” Clawing at her throat, she couldn’t even ask her what she was talking about. “You passed those little boys around like they were chips in a fucking bowl. Where are they? Where are Abe’s brothers now?”
“Dead.” Retha had forgotten about her other sons. They’d been dead for so long that they weren’t even a slight memory anymore. As the woman stood up, a woman appeared behind her. She looked as confused as Mercy did angry.
“Mercy? What’s going on?” The woman behind Mercy spoke, but Mercy didn’t answer her, or at least not so that Retha could hear. However, she couldn’t see anything in front of her anymore. Black and blue spots had appeared before her eyes. “Kill her. Christ, kill her before Jude and Duncan find out what she’s done.”
Retha felt herself flying through the air. Just as she hit the wall where Tag had been killed, Retha knew she’d be lucky to die this way. The way that the two women had looked at her, she thought for sure they’d make her death longer.
~*~
Piper had taken care that the stain on the wall was gone. Not only did she clean up, but she took the memory of what had happened from the people there. She knew she’d never forget what Mercy had shown her. The images of those poor children would haunt her for the rest of her days, she thought.
“May I join you?” After she nodded at Grant, he sat down on the chair across from her. “I’ve spoken to Duncan. He said in light of what happened today, he’s all right with scheduling the meeting with us tomorrow. Are you all right with that?”
“I am. Would you go out to the dive with me? I really would enjoy that, I think. Mercy told me they’ve found a great many artifacts already. As well as several trunks that none of us knew were on the ship. Joel said you were a great help. We had no idea you could dive so deeply.” He told her it was the fae in him. “I suppose. They’re very strong creatures. Did they help you breathe under the water as well?”
“Yes. Do you not want to talk about what happened today?” She shook her head. “All right. Yes. I can dive for longer periods when necessary. Joel is suited up in that thing Mercy found for him. I think she’d only have to give him a little magic, and he’d not need it. However, knowing Joel, he’d want things to be just perfect for him to want to go underwater. Or anything for that matter. I’m enjoying looking at the things they thought would be necessary to bring to a new place. I would guess you’d