Page 10 of Seas the Reckoning

“I need some paracetamol,” she says, with her voice just a tad louder than necessary.

We duck into the pharmacy, and, sure enough, the gentlemen follow us. I tuck Pickles up under my arm, hoping he won’t be noticed by a disapproving shopkeeper.

“The one with the dark hair is Dennis, a warlock under my father’s employ,” Starla hisses as she weaves through the shelves.

“I’ve seen the one with the longer, red hair at your father’s functions before. Pretty sure he’s a warlock as well,” Jackal adds.

I look and see who he means. A man with a low ponytail at the base of his neck.

“Yep. That’s Chaz. My father sent a welcoming committee. How thoughtful of him.”

“We don’t need them following us and figuring out where we’re staying. We’re acting under the assumption that this weekend is merely a means to an end so you can finalize things with your father along with everything else, but Grammy sent a group of us for a reason. She predicted danger. We need to be on our toes,” Exos says, shielding Starla from the view of the men each time we turn a corner.

Starla sighs.

“Maybe a direct approach is best? I can figure out what they want. Maybe they’ve got the information I was going to call my father to find out.”

I tense at the suggestion, but we’re going with our guts here.

Dropping any pretense that we don’t notice them, Starla makes pointed eye contact with Dennis and begins walking out of the store.

He and the others are silent as we head outside and then down a side street. I count six of them in total.

Starla comes to a stop, her hand up for silence as a few train passengers walk by. Once the area is clear, she lowers her palm.

“Gentlemen. Pleasure to see you again. What does my father want?”

Dennis smiles, but it’s the kind of expression many women would recognize that sends a shiver all the way up and down your spine. The look is enough to assure me that I’d never want to be in a room alone with him.

“He’d like to see his beloved daughter, and we’re here to bring you to him.”

“Oh?” Starla raises an eyebrow.

One of the gentlemen she and Jackal didn’t recognize steps up.

“We’ve got a car here and have been instructed to drive you to the manor. Your grandmother was kind enough to send your list of additional guests, and they are welcome to join us tomorrow.”

“They go where I go.”

“Not today they don’t,” Chaz says with a leer. “You’ll do what you’re told, and you’re being told to meet your father now, sans entourage.”

Starla dips her chin to acknowledge hearing them but stays silent for a few moments thinking.

We can’t very well fight them off. We’re in the middle of a human city, and that would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention. If the mess were bad enough, the Magikai would be called in, and I’d just as soon keep them out of this entire endeavor.

I don’t need anyone digging around my curse, and knowing Starla she’d just as soon keep her personal business personal and not the type of story that ends up in Witch Watch.

Still, the idea of letting her go with them sets an uneasy churning loose in my stomach.

My friend lets out a deep, labored sigh.

“As much as I hate to disappoint my father, I’m afraid that won’t work. You can assure him that we will be in attendance tomorrow.”

“Councilman Taylor insisted upon it,” Dennis says the words as though that settles the matter.

It likely does, usually. I gather Starla’s father is used to getting his way.

“Well, Councilman Taylor must, unfortunately, be disappointed. Starla is not due to meet with him today, and the councilman must exercise patience,” Exos says.