Queen of Ruin

sheet. After he covered her shoulders with the blanket, he glanced at Teddy as he

ad and radiated through his body as Te

he swung back and forth and hummed out a song he couldn't place. After he snapped

ee her now, but she isn't ready to talk yet." His back jerked as he huffed out his mout

d nodded to the door. "You've done a good job tonight, better than an

r glanced back to Tessa and slid the back of his

eded to get out of town for a while. Haldir rubbed the back of his neck as he passed through the kitchen, then op

om the door and unscrewed the cap, then took

the alcohol, then flinched as he heard a voi

Haldir took another drink and shrugged. "We wa

o took care of her all night. "Rafik already told me what to do for her. He said to give her as much Burdock Root and fluids as she can tolerate

his mouth on the back of his arm. "You th

d forth on the tabletop. "No, he had no idea, Ha

n the door, Teddy slapped his hand on his chest and gasped back a breat

s head to the bedroom door. "Go sit with her. If anyt

all, stout Scot with a bushy white beard and long, curly white hair looking ba

and nodded inside. As Billy bent down and crossed the threshold, he pulled his h

Haldir wiped the nasty words from his mouth with

Jasper, his sons took out the rest of the Mason's. His family over in Africa got most of Isabelle's pe

at the mess of it all. "Teddy seems to think th

or the children. "I can't see how he wouldn't. Th

ut she's in bad shape still." After a few raps of his knuckle against the door, he glanced ba

hem in. Billy put his hand on his cheek, then leaned in

e as the sheet she laid on. While he inched closer, his hand trembled in ang

ds together. "Alright, let's see what we're working with." Placing a hand on each temple

tongue and pulled back her lips wi

ill breathing is a miracle. It wasn't accidental what they did to her

rubbed the back of his neck. "I th

n in confusion, Billy gla

ed. "Yes, then he told me to give her Burdock Root

on her forehead. "Rest now, child. Uncle

shut off the light and gave her an

and leaned back into his chair as Haldir brought him a glass of wa

led kindly. "Tell me everything that happened. Start

at his ear. "Everything was alright. She and Rafik were

Billy drummed his fingers on the table

ok his head. "They weren't ther

fingers to co

she warned me in my head and grabbed my hand. Before I knew it, Momma was dead then Daddy started bleeding. I got Tessa bac

ght's events, and Billy raised his

y, his eyes rose to meet Billy's again. "He

leaned into the seatback and pointed

own outside and explained his orders. "The council won't stand for this kind of treachery. They've authorized the

eddy shook his head. "No. You can't kill Rafik.

d. "I don't kill children, but he will have to pay for his involvement in all this. I'll make

didn't see him; it devastated him. He didn't hesitate to help her. He didn't know; I'll stake my claim on it."

he windowsill, thinking that the night c

r the words Rafik spoke. "He said some ki

the kitchen chair. "That brilliant, little

shook his head and sighed. "Not all of it;

he room as Billy sighed and

himself and nodded. "Yes, that's what I t

aned over it and stared at Billy, but he was fairly s

fingers and shrugged. "I'm sayi

arms in defiance. "That can't be. I've seen a hundred witch w

lled a pack of Marlboro's from his shirt pocket and fished out a cigarette. "Nor is it necessary

ted when Rafik offered his blood sacrifice. The Fates allowed her to live when she

eath Dealers to take him alive, I'll place him in protection somewhere until Tessa is old enough, then he'

ked the obvious. "How the hell are we supposed to tell her she's

." His narrowed eyes let Haldir know his place when it came to his sister. "I realize my parents wanted us with you for