what’s to stop him from sending a mage? He won’t send a weak one this time.” I wiped away more tears, fear rolling through me. “I’m not strong enough for this, Austin.”
He rose from his chair, crossed the small space, lifted me into his arms, then returned to his spot and sat back down with me in his lap like I was a child. I didn’t resist. Couldn’t. The sobs bubbled up and overflowed, racking my body, pouring out all of my uncertainty and helplessness and exhaustion. He wrapped his strong arms around me and held me close, my face buried in his neck.
Finally, when the sobs died down and his neck was wet with my tears, he spoke.
“You are more than just this house.” His voice vibrated through his chest in a low hum. “You are insightful, an incredibly fast learner, and already amazing with your magic after such a short period of time. What you’ve learned in months dwarfs what most magical people learn in years. Most importantly, you are courageous. When you were kidnapped a few months ago, you didn’t sit down and wait to be rescued. You kept calm and made a friend of the basajaun, one of the most dangerous creatures in our world. You did that, not Ivy House. The mages figured out a way to cut you off from the house, yet you still triumphed. You are incredible all by yourself, Jess. Ivy House chose you because it knew it would be safe with you, not the other way around.”
I shook my head, pushing away a little. “I wouldn’t have been able to escape those mages without Ivy House, and I wouldn’t have been able to escape that cage without you.”
“Because you’re still learning. Every student relies on their teachers. It’s the way things should be. And that brings me to my second point. Ivy House isn’t the only defense you have. You have me. Through me, you have this town. I’m still in the planning stages, but when I’m done, Ivy House will be your keep within my castle. I’ll pack my territory with so much power that even Elliot Graves will think twice about going through me to get to you.
“Until then, you have a fearless crew, and we would all lay down our lives to see you safe. As soon as Agnes’s uncle’s drinking buddy’s cousin’s girlfriend or whoever”—he paused for my laugh—“lands on the type of spell the deer used, or even an idea of how it works, you and Edgar will figure out how to tear it down. I have every faith that this is in your wheelhouse. It’s just another challenge to help you grow. We all need a spur in the side sometimes, and I think this is yours.” He ran his fingers across my temple before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “When you do find a way to counter that potion, you can wait to use it until his people get good and close to Ivy House, assuming he sends more of them. Then you can tear away their protections and let Ivy House deal with them in the most gruesome ways she conjures up. You can let her have vengeance. Instead of a letter to Elliot, you can send a head.”
I widened my eyes. “Wow. That devolved into unspeakable violence quickly.”
His smile was slight and his eyes were full of warmth. “Welcome to the magical world, where there are penalties for bullying.”
A soft rap came at the door. Mr. Tom was not usually in the habit of knocking, but having guests in the house had apparently changed all his habits.
I made a move to climb off Austin’s lap, but instead he stood and deposited me on my feet. He ran his hands down the outsides of my arms. “You good?”
I laid a hand on his chest, his heart beating against my palm. “Yeah. Thanks. You always know what to say.”
“The truth. All I ever say is the truth. You’re exceptional, Jacinta, and not because of the magic. Not because of this house or your crew. Definitely not because of me. You are a shooting star in a dark sky.”
My vision swam and my lip trembled. I nodded mutely.
When he stepped back, his movements were rigid, like he was forcing himself to do it. He hated people in turmoil. The alpha in him clearly felt the need to soothe me.
I took a deep breath. It was time to pick myself up, dust