I tore down my block on our magical connection, allowing me to check in with his emotions and, most importantly, his pain level. A swell of agony made me stagger. The speed and distance had clearly made Austin exponentially worse than when we’d set out, but he hadn’t cried uncle or slowed down.
Jasper was by my side in an instant, his hand on my arm, steadying me.
“You good?” Jasper asked, crowding my side, peering down into my face.
“Was the flight too long?” Ulric hurried over.
“I’m fine. It isn’t me. It’s Austin.” I shrugged Jasper off, reaching Austin a moment later. “You idiot. What were you doing? I could’ve stopped and healed—”
The words died on my lips. My dad stood twenty paces away, a daisy in one hand and his other hanging limp at his side. He stared at Austin, frozen, his face slack and his eyes wide. He’d seen him shift. He’d seen a polar bear where no polar bear should be, then watched as it changed into a man.
“Dad?” I said, stepping forward quickly, almost positive the blood was draining from my face.
He blinked rapidly a few times as I marched through the rows of clustered flowers, wondering how the hell I was going to talk my way out of this one. Someone else followed me, and a glance confirmed it was Ulric, who was great at spinning a tale out of thin air.
“Hey, Dad, whatcha doin’?” I stopped in front of him.
He cocked his head before swinging his face to me slowly. He cleared his throat. “I was just checking out the gardens. Why do you let him plant so many flowers? I can barely breathe through the smell back here. Up near the house, though, he has some really good-looking rosebushes. I’d like to get his secret on those. I can’t keep the deer from eating mine.”
“Yeah, totally. He loves talking about flowers. Say, listen, you looked a little shaken up a moment ago. You okay?” I reached back and touched Ulric’s arm, a silent cue to get ready.
“Well, I’ll tell you what.” Dad huffed. “You were all over me about airing out my begonias, but you don’t say boo to your friend there, doing the exact same thing. You see? I know what I’m about. If a young, fit man like that needs a little air on his nether regions, don’t you think I do, too?”
It was my turn to stare and then blink rapidly, my mouth hanging open and my eyebrows at my hairline. “His…begonias?”
“Yes. Look at him there, letting it all hang out. Sometimes a man just needs to air out the bells and tackle.”
“This is true, sir,” Ulric said, and I could’ve kicked him. My father didn’t need a green light to walk around naked.
“Anything…else on your mind?” I asked tentatively.
“Yeah, that butler is in charge of dinner, and I think it’ll actually be ready when your mother said it would. It’s a Christmas miracle.”
“Christmas miracle?” Ulric said.
“You kids better wash up.” My dad nodded, turned, and strode for the house as though nothing too crazy had gone on.
“Maybe he didn’t see,” I said, watching him go, the daisy still in his hand.
“Maybe…” Ulric said. “But he could see Austin standing in the trees, and a naked man is a lot less conspicuous than a polar bear.”
“But…wouldn’t he say something?”
“Jessie, we could use your help over here,” Niamh called.
“I’m good.” Not one ounce of pain made it into Austin’s words, and yet I could feel that he was nearly crippled with it. I’d really gotten him good with way more power than I’d known I possessed. Ivy House must’ve increased my access again, apparently under the impression I could handle it. And maybe I could, but Austin was another story. Thank God he’d been in his bear form when he tripped that magical wire.
“Hand me my clothes,” he said.
“Jessie,” Niamh said.
Forgetting about my dad for the time being, I jogged back to Austin, standing tall and proud, acting the part of the tough guy who didn’t feel pain. Even though I knew better.
“I got this.” I took Austin’s clothes from Niamh, who’d picked up the sack Ulric had dropped a moment ago. “Everyone else hit the showers. Oh…” I snapped and pointed at each of them in turn. “You can try the clam dip, but don’t eat much of it. It’s a hot commodity in my family. She didn’t make enough for this many people.”
“No, thanks.” Ulric made a face and started walking toward the house. Jasper and Cedric followed, with Niamh close behind.
“Jessie, did I hear correctly that your father wanted to speak with me?” I nodded, and Edgar edged closer. “I hadn’t intended to go in for dinner. Maybe I’ll just pop in afterward?”
“That’s fine, Edgar. Or chat with him tomorrow.”
“Oh.” Edgar smiled, his fangs tucked away, for once, and his teeth whiter than I remembered. He must’ve asked Agnes for an elixir that would help. He’d really been putting in an effort to pass for normal with the parents staying. “That’s a much better idea, yes. I think I’ll just grab a spot in the woods somewhere and watch what comes by.”