later, but first I had to get Josiah far away from the dock.
I ran up to my parents. They turned at my approach. My mother looked concerned, my father pleased. I disliked that.
“He’s not staying? Tell me he’s not staying.”
“Aidan,” he scolded, “I do wish you hadn’t interrupted me earlier. I’d have thought you would want Serafina rescued.”
In Josiah’s world, there was little distinction between being rescued and being stolen away to Hawaii and locked in his compound for a decade or two. “I’d rather prove her innocence so she can have her freedom again. And since she’s not leaving with you, there’s no reason for you to stay on the island. So, you know. Bye.”
The look he gave me suggested I was being disappointingly slow. “Aidan, you know I would never leave a daughter of mine to fend for herself.” I didn’t miss his double meaning.
“You can’t stay. I don’t want you here.”
The council’s eyebrows raised as one, curious why I’d have such a strong reaction to my friend’s father.
“He’ll try to take her again,” I explained. “We can’t prove she’s innocent if she’s not here.”
“I’m afraid I can’t leave. My ride off the island has been incapacitated. Perhaps you’d know something about that.” His tone was mild, his eyes amused. That was the problem with this man. The world was a joke to him, until he found something he felt like setting on fire.
“You can stay on the other side of the island. Away from Sera. Near witnesses. Lots and lots of witnesses.”
My mother’s eyes darkened, and I knew her maternal instincts were kicking in. Like my father, she’d do anything to protect me. She was even mostly sane in the strategies she employed to do so. If I said my father needed to be far from me, she believed me.
The council tired of being left out of the discussion. Deborah’s brows drew together as she considered her options. “We were trying to keep the fires to this side of the island, away from other people,” she said. “So, if something else happens, we at least know whether they were physically capable of the crime. It was your idea, if you recall.”
I shrugged. “That was for Sera. You can accuse Josiah as much as you want. I’m fine with that.”
“Aidan,” my mother admonished, more for my overt rudeness than the words themselves. Josiah just laughed.
“I don’t mind,” he said. “If something happens, my daughter will be exonerated, and I can defend myself.” He meant it, I knew. He’d willingly sacrifice his own freedom to keep her safe. He might even sacrifice his own life. If his love didn’t come with so many strings, it might almost be a comfort.
Almost.
“Can he stay with you?” I knew I was asking too much of my mother. Yes, they’d had a fling over sixty years ago, but so far as I could tell, my mother had taken a “what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii” approach to their time together. I’d never seen a single romantic spark between them, and I was glad of it.
Plus, I’d already foisted Lana on her. She was becoming the halfway house for people who knew too damn much about my magic.
My mother only hesitated for a second before agreeing.
Josiah, of course, was not so easily convinced. “On one condition. You visit every day and update me.”
I knew my face was pulling into a grimace, but I felt powerless to stop it. The small quirk of Josiah’s mouth, too much like Sera’s for my comfort, told me he saw it and found it downright adorable. He really was a bastard.
I nodded once, then turned toward the cottage. I made it five steps before a worrying thought hit me. “Josiah,” I called. “No setting someone on fire just to clear Sera’s name, okay?” For most people, this would be a ridiculous precaution. In his case, the precedent had been set.
He only laughed and walked away, the remaining waters following.
As I watched him leave, I was certain of one thing. I needed to exonerate Sera fast,
I ran up to my parents. They turned at my approach. My mother looked concerned, my father pleased. I disliked that.
“He’s not staying? Tell me he’s not staying.”
“Aidan,” he scolded, “I do wish you hadn’t interrupted me earlier. I’d have thought you would want Serafina rescued.”
In Josiah’s world, there was little distinction between being rescued and being stolen away to Hawaii and locked in his compound for a decade or two. “I’d rather prove her innocence so she can have her freedom again. And since she’s not leaving with you, there’s no reason for you to stay on the island. So, you know. Bye.”
The look he gave me suggested I was being disappointingly slow. “Aidan, you know I would never leave a daughter of mine to fend for herself.” I didn’t miss his double meaning.
“You can’t stay. I don’t want you here.”
The council’s eyebrows raised as one, curious why I’d have such a strong reaction to my friend’s father.
“He’ll try to take her again,” I explained. “We can’t prove she’s innocent if she’s not here.”
“I’m afraid I can’t leave. My ride off the island has been incapacitated. Perhaps you’d know something about that.” His tone was mild, his eyes amused. That was the problem with this man. The world was a joke to him, until he found something he felt like setting on fire.
“You can stay on the other side of the island. Away from Sera. Near witnesses. Lots and lots of witnesses.”
My mother’s eyes darkened, and I knew her maternal instincts were kicking in. Like my father, she’d do anything to protect me. She was even mostly sane in the strategies she employed to do so. If I said my father needed to be far from me, she believed me.
The council tired of being left out of the discussion. Deborah’s brows drew together as she considered her options. “We were trying to keep the fires to this side of the island, away from other people,” she said. “So, if something else happens, we at least know whether they were physically capable of the crime. It was your idea, if you recall.”
I shrugged. “That was for Sera. You can accuse Josiah as much as you want. I’m fine with that.”
“Aidan,” my mother admonished, more for my overt rudeness than the words themselves. Josiah just laughed.
“I don’t mind,” he said. “If something happens, my daughter will be exonerated, and I can defend myself.” He meant it, I knew. He’d willingly sacrifice his own freedom to keep her safe. He might even sacrifice his own life. If his love didn’t come with so many strings, it might almost be a comfort.
Almost.
“Can he stay with you?” I knew I was asking too much of my mother. Yes, they’d had a fling over sixty years ago, but so far as I could tell, my mother had taken a “what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii” approach to their time together. I’d never seen a single romantic spark between them, and I was glad of it.
Plus, I’d already foisted Lana on her. She was becoming the halfway house for people who knew too damn much about my magic.
My mother only hesitated for a second before agreeing.
Josiah, of course, was not so easily convinced. “On one condition. You visit every day and update me.”
I knew my face was pulling into a grimace, but I felt powerless to stop it. The small quirk of Josiah’s mouth, too much like Sera’s for my comfort, told me he saw it and found it downright adorable. He really was a bastard.
I nodded once, then turned toward the cottage. I made it five steps before a worrying thought hit me. “Josiah,” I called. “No setting someone on fire just to clear Sera’s name, okay?” For most people, this would be a ridiculous precaution. In his case, the precedent had been set.
He only laughed and walked away, the remaining waters following.
As I watched him leave, I was certain of one thing. I needed to exonerate Sera fast,
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