“The Evil must be expunged from this plane,” Valdis cried in a voice that carried like an owl’s hoots in the night air. Standing on a rocky ledge above the others, she waved a long black cloak like batwings. “The Earth belongs to the Mother. She must take up the battle and lead theway.”
Oh yeah,right, auntie, so not happening, Sam thoughtgrimly.
“She’s a Kennedy,” someone else shouted from the woods. “She’s probably spying on us right now. I say send her back where she came from. We were fine until shearrived.”
Oh well, thank you so much.“I don’t like this,” Sam whispered. She felt as if she were back in seventh grade with the mean girls writingHer parents are weirdand she smells like goats.She couldn’t punch an entire town. “I don’t belonghere.”
Amber hugged her. “Of course you do, poppet. Cass brought you here for just this reason. He’s right, the energy vampire has weakened us, but you will bring us life again, just the way you have nourished ourplanters.”
“Because plants and people are no different?” Sam asked with an edge of sarcasm.“I should dump manure on you?” But no one responded to her nervous anger. She didn’thavetostay.
She simply longed for the peaceful land she’d had before her parents died—one where she was normal and felt athome...
Heated mutters rose on the wind, disturbing the fantasy drama. The light balls flickered and started fading. Mariah and Cass shouted over the buzz of voices, butit was obvious old animosities had been stirred. Sam decided it was time to go. She stood up, and this time, Amber didn’t stopher.
“Go and keep on going,” a male voice shouted when she tried to find a path up the rocks. “We don’t need no Nulls here,” a second, female, voice cried. “She’s the reason Juan died!” another cried. “The Evil One spewed the skeleton because ofher!”
Rattled,Sam fought her way through the bodies blocking her in. They shifted, parted, let her pass—until a large masculine frame blocked her way. She almost flung herself into Walker’s arms. “Get me out of here,” shewhispered.
“Not like this. You have to play to the crowd.” He swung her around, forcing her to face the mob. He shouted to be heard. “Cassis a Kennedy. Do you callheraNull?”
Mariah echoed his cry. “Have you taken time to see what Samantha has done with our planters in town? Those weeds she planted in the alley—have you seen how they’re blooming already? And you call her aNull?”
Resentfully, Sam wanted to shake off the strong hands holding her pinned to the spot. But... People had noticed her planters? And thought them special?Why?
Below, Cassand Mariah were casting their magic again. The lights were back, and Valdis’s wail had ceased. That alone was sufficient to let the hair on the back of her neckrest.
“She knows how to use a staff,” Harvey called from thewoods.
“I’ve been inside her head, dears,” Cass said, drawing the remaining balls around her. “Don’t be foolish. Sam is one ofus.”
Cass’s admission thatshe’d been inside Sam’s head silenced even Sam. She’d hated being treated like an outsider. Now she wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to be an insider. One would have to be crazy to live likethis.
“United we stand,” Mariah called. “Are we united in fightingdevelopment?”
Walker muttered an expletive as a shout rang around the clearing. “I think we’re done here. Coming withme?”
Wordlessly, Sam followed him out of the shouting crowd. She heard warm murmurs of farewell from the women surrounding her, but she still felt the hostility of strangers packing the arena. She’d thought she’d found a place of welcome. Maybe no such placeexisted.
“You knew they were talking about me?” she asked as the silence between them became unbearable. “You knew they were blamingmefor Juan’sdeath?”
“Small minds in narrow worlds look for simple cause and effect. They don’t have the experience or education to envision broader possibilities or even shades of gray. The Lucys are about as small a world as you can get, and they’re superstitious as they come. I’ve been talking to the old-timers, sounding them out about my dad, and I’ve heard the rumors about you. Theyknow your history. The older ones know your families. But the past frightens them, and they’re just not talking about it. Cass and Mariah will give them another sacrificial goat before the night isover.”
He limped a bit, as he did when he was tired. But as they found their way in the dark down the crumbling pathway, he placed a steadying hand at the small of her back, and she enjoyed thegesture. She liked a whole lot about this sensible, self-assured man—except for his protective need to control. She knew getting in deeper with a Null who sought security was a straight road to heartbreak if she continued pursuing her weird Lucy leanings. But the stiff deputy hadstood upfor her place as aLucy.
“Are you on duty?” she asked, grimacing as his uniform became more visibleonce they reached the pavedhighway.
“Until midnight,” he said in regret. “Want a ride back to your place? I can take a look around, make certain no one is lingering in the bushes, pretend I’mworking.”
She entertained that idea for all of a minute before deciding she was too wound up to go to bed,alone.
“Is there anyone at the lodge? Do you think the utilities are operatingagain? Cass has no internet service, and I’d like to use the computer.” And she didn’t want to be alone when the meeting broke up or be around if Mariah or Cass came by. She needednormal.
“The lodge is open for business,” he said. “Although there aren’t many guests. Would you like to hang around tillmidnight?”
She heard the suggestion in his voice. It matched her need. “I can dothat,” she said with what she hoped sounded like adult decision and not a teenager’s hormonal heart-pounding.
Walker circled her waist and squeezed her close before he helped her into his cruiser. She almost leaned her head against his shoulder, but that would have beenneedy.
