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Chapter 41
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2024-10-29 19:42:56I slept for a day and a half after we returned. Mom didn't take the news about Liam well. Who would? I still have trouble believing it myself.
Avery, John, and I drove to the Reinhardt house once I was feeling better, but they wouldn't let me take a turn driving. I didn't argue.
We arrived late in the afternoon, the sun highlighted the white columns on the front of the Plantation house.
"This is it?" Avery asked as we pulled up the long drive. "It's huge!"
"Nearly a hundred and fifty acres," I said.
Avery parked the car and cut the engine. It didn't seem like anyone had been here since Dad and I had left, but I couldn't be sure.
"Ezra?"
I looked down at the fresh pine box I held in my lap, pain as fresh as the wood gripped my chest. "Follow me," I said and climbed out of the car.
I led the others around the house and
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EZRA I tightened the last screw and stepped back. Now for the test. Bending down, I removed the brick I'd placed to hold the back door open as I worked on it. This time, instead of slamming shut like it had all summer, the spring caught and it closed gently. Like it was supposed to do. "That's right," I said, smiling. It was the little victories that kept me going some days. Gathering up the tools, I thought I heard a car on the other side of the house. Avery opened the newly fixed screen door. "Hunter's here, but he's alone. He's got your car." There was a thread of worry in her voice. "What?" That didn't make sense. I set the tools aside and followed Avery through the house. Hunter was coming in through the front door when we entered the foyer. He caught the door, pulling it shut behind him. "Where's John?" I asked. The look on Hunter's face made the bottom fall out of my stomach. "With h
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EZRAThe house was quieter when we returned. Benji and the others had yet to come back, but I found Kaylee and Thea curled up together on the couch in a nest of blankets with the baby demon between them. Kaylee had offered to look after it while we investigated Lyssa's house and I'd let her.It chirped softly at me, flapping its wings in a way that could only be described as a 'pick me up' motion. I obliged, before the demon decided it was upset and screeched."Shh," I whispered to it, cradling it in my arms. There was no need to wake the entire house."William, is that you?" Mom's voice called softly from the kitchen. Avery and I followed Dad as he went to find Mom. Her eyes watered as soon as she set eyes on us, as if she already knew what we'd found."How bad is it?" Mom whispered."We think Nathan took her-""No, we're p
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JOHNThere was none of the dizzy vertigo like when I travelled through Ezra or Benji's portal. It was more like a long step through a doorway that led me right back where I was only weeks ago. The freshly cut grass left a thick scent in the air that brought back many memories of family barbecues and parties.I turned back to the portal. Cameron and the other Witches still appeared awestruck, but Hunter looked as though he wanted to jump through after me, the pain clear on his unhappy face."I'm sorry," I said, and shut down the portal.My chest throbbed. Part of me had wanted Hunter to come, because I didn't want to face this alone. What if we were caught? On my own, I would at least have a chance to escape again, but after what'd happened after they'd caught Ezra, they probably would kill Hunter on the spot.Facing the house, I distracted myself by focusing on the details. New cushions covered the patio furniture and ne
