Chapter 659: Rescue Mission

"Before you tell me to go home," Shenka said as I turned away to the pressure of air displacement at Applegate's departure, "you can just take that and shove it."

I knew this was going to be a fight. "I need you with the family," I said, aiming for reasonable and diplomatic. No use trying for bossy. Not with Shenka.

"You need me beside you," she snapped while Sunny joined us, Uncle Frank's smirk wiped clean as I glared at him.

"Listen to me." I gripped her upper arms, stared into Shenka's determined eyes. "Where do you think you'll do the most good: with the family, watching over them, or with me, unable to use magic?"

Shenka's mouth opened. Closed. Her frown turned sad, still mixed with stubborn. "That's not fair."

"Nope," I said. "It sure as hell isn't. But the sad fact is I have access to other magicks and you don't."

She deflated. "And if I came with you, I'd be a liability." Shenka perked briefly. "But Applegate didn't order me not to use magic."

Sophistry and we both knew