Part 15 (1/2)
Piper sighed. ”I don't know. If she does, we're screwed.”
”Why, my love? Do ye speak of the foul grimoire? What became of it?”
”I burned it,” Evie admitted. ”And kicked the ashes in the lake.”
Lachlan, to his credit, tried not to go stormy, but his eyes clouded over. Piper took his hand and laced her fingers with his to calm him.
”You couldn't have known,” she said, patting Evie's knee.
”You knew,” she said in a tormented voice. ”You didn't want me to destroy it, you fought me the whole way.”
”Don't do this to yourself, Evie. I was nuts at the time. Something bad might have happened if you didn't burn it. There's no point in beating yourself up.”
”She's right,” Lachlan said, leaning back in his chair. ”Looking to the past willna get us anywhere. If the witch wants her book back and the book is beyond reach, she'll just have to ...” he shook his head. No one knew what would happen next.
”She'll just have to suck it.” Evie stood up. ”I am so sick of her.” She rubbed her stomach and got up to rummage for a snack. ”Sorry,” she said, as she took a bite of apple. ”Gotta keep a little something on my stomach. It's the best way to fight the nausea.”
Piper realized she was famished as well and joined her at the counter. Eating a m.u.f.fin tethered her back to the moment at hand and the lingering fear that followed her from the lake dissipated in the warm kitchen, with her favorite people.
She turned to see Lizzie come in from the front, rubbing her eyes as if she just woke up. Her blonde hair was messy and her gown rumpled. She looked around and her face dropped.
”Where is everybody?”
”I don't know,” Piper answered, turning to Lachlan for answers.
”My fool brother spit out his pain pills,” he said, shaking his head. ”He wanted to be gone at once. He and Catie barely said goodbye to me.”
”What?” Evie teared up and put down her apple. ”I thought Catie was going to stay.”
”They left without me?” Lizzie sounded both angry and devastated. ”Oliver would never- when did they go? Maybe I can still catch up.”
”It was hours ago, la.s.s,” Lachlan said, and Lizzie staggered to the bench and sank onto it.
”I thought you were staying, too,” Evie said.
Piper was completely lost as to who was meant to stay or go. ”Yes,” she said, filling a cup from the kettle for Lizzie. ”Don't you want to get back to your life? I'm sure we could help you come up with a feasible story for your absence.”
”Digging wells somewhere,” Evie suggested. ”People love that. You'll get your career back before you know it.”
”I don't want my career back,” Lizzie said dejectedly. She looked at them one by one and lowered her head. ”I only want Quinn.”
”Ah, dear G.o.d,” Lachlan said. ”What is it about that lad?”
Piper wanted to swat Lachlan for such an insensitive statement, making poor Lizzie feel as if she were just one of a long list. Even if it was true, it didn't make her feelings for Quinn any less real, and it had clearly taken a lot out of her to admit them.
Piper prayed things wouldn't get any more convoluted. But of course they did, when Catie and Quinn tramped into the kitchen, wearing complete opposite expressions from each other.
Lachlan jumped up to help Quinn to a seat, getting brushed off angrily for his trouble. Catie rushed to hug Evie and ask where Magnus was.
”He's at home with Sam. What happened, why didn't you say goodbye?”
Catie bobbed on the b.a.l.l.s of her feet in her happiness. ”There was no time. But, it didna work. Quinn couldna do the spell. We canna go back.”
Lizzie stood up, took a step toward Quinn, then stopped. It hurt Piper to watch, as he refused to look at her. Someone who didn't care at all didn't need to work that hard to look like they didn't care.
”Ye needna act so excited,” Quinn said sourly. ”Ye may take a moment to remember our friends are still in need of medicine.”
Catie dropped her chin to her chest and frowned.
”Where's Oliver?” Lizzie asked, giving up on trying to make Quinn see her and turning to Catie. Her hands shook as she reached out to her.
Catie shrugged. ”With Mellie, last I heard. They're driving across the b.l.o.o.d.y countryside.”
”What?” Three separate voices rang out incredulously.
”I knew he wouldn't go without me,” Lizzie said under her breath. ”But, what do you mean, it didn't work? How will we get back?”
”We need to back up a d.a.m.n minute,” Piper said, holding up her hand. She looked apologetically at Lizzie. ”Don't worry, both Lachlan and I can do the spell. But what's this about Mel and Oliver?”
Catie fished her phone out of her bodice and Lachlan and Evie both sighed with disgust.
”You were going to take that back with you?” Evie asked. ”How many times do I have to say it? No good can come from taking back modern things.”
”It willna even work,” Lachlan said. ”The magic drains the battery.”
Catie ignored them both in true teenager fas.h.i.+on and scrolled through her messages. ”It says they are going to see his ancestral land in Perth, to see what it looks like now.” She raised her brows at Lachlan. ”That's quite far, aye?”
Lachlan got dangerously quiet. ”Love, we must send them back.” He pulled Piper close to him, as if he feared she would dissolve into thin air. She wondered if that might not be for the best.
”We should go now, and Oliver can return when he's done gadding about the country.” Lizzie stood.
”Lizzie, there isna longer any reason for ye to return,” Quinn said, casting a pall over Lizzie and sending everyone into an awkward silence. ”I am well enough to go. We found Catie and have the medicine. Ye did well, but ye're home now.”
Evie took Catie's arm and pulled her toward the door. ”Let's go to Piper's office. I'll print you out some pictures of Magnus to take with you. I'm sure something like that won't affect the fabric of time.”
Piper thought leaving Quinn and Lizzie alone for a few minutes seemed a very good idea and she tugged Lachlan's hand to get him to leave the room as well. He stood like a giant, disgruntled oak tree, glaring at his brother.
”Dinna tarry too long,” he said. ”Too much time has already been wasted and even taking the golf cart, the trip back to the woods is long.”
Quinn narrowed his eyes, but before he could retort, Piper said, ”That's ridiculous to go all the way to the forest again. Bella and Pietro know you're coming.” She pointed at Quinn and then Lachlan. ”You two lived there for several months, think of a room n.o.body ever goes in. We'll do the spell here in the castle. If someone sees, I really don't care at this point.”
She jerked Lachlan's hand and stomped from the room, with a last hopeful glance at Lizzie. She'd keep her fingers crossed that she got what she wanted.
In the hall, Lachlan turned to her, his eyes dark with anguish. He gently took her face in his powerful hands and leaned over to kiss her before speaking. ”I canna risk losing ye while those two argue.”