Page 40 of Last Call at the Doghouse

“Very few Springers have abilities that would make them an asset in any kind of war,” Ginger said. “Most simply have familial gifts that make them… interesting. I mean, what good is a psychic or someone who talks to animals when it comes to an actual fight?”

“There might not be a physical altercation, after all,” Ramona said. “That’s unclear, like so much else. We had it all wrong at the start. Yes, Armi is a shield. We’ve been discussing this for the past few days since you two took the book from the library. I suspect it didn’t make much sense.”

“It did not.”

“We need it back,” Ramona snapped. “Perhaps we can make sense of it now. We never should’ve allowed it to leave the library.”

Helen waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not ready to accept that what we’ve discovered and what will be are necessarily the same. Yes, Armi is a shield, but must she be alone? If she has help…”

“She can’t do this alone,” Mitch protested. “One woman…”

“Not one woman,” Ginger interrupted. “One shield.”

Tobias cleared his throat. “I hate to say it so plainly, but the truth is, the shield doesn’t lead an army, the shield is Armi.” He lifted his hands, made a motion as if he were surrounding himself in a big bubble. His brother nodded in a knowing way.

Mitch’s heart dropped. There had been a barrier over and around Mystic Springs for a very long time. It had fallen almost a year ago. If it was replaced, would all the magic be drawn back in? Would the rest of the world be free from the influences they didn’t understand?

No more werewolves in Texas and New York. No more kids discovering they could manipulate water and air. No more Sasquatch shifters, or dog shifters, or who knows what else, not beyond the borders of Mystic Springs.

“I wish we’d realized what was going on before we allowed you to take the book, but none of us are what we once were,” Ramona said pragmatically. “Knowledge comes more slowly, these days.”

He’d gotten it horribly wrong. Armi wasn’t a shield, she was The Shield. The new painting was of the beginning of the process. Armi would come apart, dissolve in some way he couldn’t understand, and then she’d rebuild the barrier around Mystic Springs. Not a barrier, but a shield. Mitch wanted to move, to jump from the table and run, but he could not.

His job wasn’t to protect Armi; it was to sacrifice her.

He played over the conversation with his dad. At the time the news had been so shocking, he hadn’t thought to ask questions. It was unlikely the man knew more than he told. A warrior, a protector, a coming war. There hadn’t been much other helpful information.

“What little we read made it clear that there are others.”

“Perhaps,” Ginger said. “We need to study the book carefully. Are there others who might take her place or are they needed to help her ascend?”

Ascend? “Bullshit.” He leaned on the table. “All day yesterday we tried to convince people to help, but had no luck at all. Why? Why would even her family turn their backs on her?”

“I’m not sure,” Ginger said. “A spell, a pall, a knowledge that nothing they do will make a difference…”

Helen sniffled and wiped away a tear. “I’m so hoping we can find another way, but it won’t be easy. We need the book.” She looked him in the eye and, despite the tears, he saw more strength than he’d imagined the old woman possessed. “We need Armi… and you must fetch her.”

CHAPTER 13

Not long after Armi unlocked the front door and flipped on the Open sign, Duncan walked in. Given the timing he’d probably been sitting in the parking lot, waiting for 3 p.m. to roll around. If she’d known he was out there, The Doghouse could’ve remained closed a while longer. At one time he’d had a key, but she’d gotten it back from him and left it with Stella when they’d headed to Mystic Springs. Had he made a copy? Did she need to add changing the locks to her list of things to do? Save Mary; build a business; order more kibble; save the world… change the locks so she didn’t have to worry about Mitch Duncan walking in on her uninvited.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she snapped.

She was alone in the public space of the bar. Stella had arrived earlier and judging by the occasional thud or ring of glass on glass was in the back room, rearranging liquor bottles. Mary hadn’t shown yet, but she would. Soon. This was normally a quiet time of day, so any one of them could manage on their own. Tempted as she was to turn and run, to fetch Stella or call Mary on her cell, she didn’t.

“Get out.”

He didn’t comply. “Your aunt sent me.”

“Why?” And why should she believe anything he said?

“She and her buddies want the book returned to the library.”

“So I’m supposed to hand it over to you?” She tried to laugh, but the sound came out much too harsh.

“They want you, too.”

No way… “I’m not going back,” she said. “I’m never going back. Now that this place is up and running, I can put it on the market and maybe make a little profit.” Owning a bar had been a dumb idea in the first place. “When that’s done, I can move far, far away from this place. I hear Montana is nice.”