Stephan let me go and prowled to the windows.

"What should we do?" one of Finnie's friends asked.

"Nothing," Finnie answered. "Just stay calm."

I didn't stay calm bit I did it unmoving. I stood in the dark room, staring at the doors while Cora and Circe moved around lighting the lamps.

Seconds slid by and my panic escalated.

"Come on, get them here," I said to the door. "Get them here."

Cora got close, touched her hand to mine and urged, "Come and sit, Maddie."

I didn't take my eyes from the doors.

"Sit, Maddie," Finnie said from my other side. "Gunnar will get them here."

I didn't move.

The doors opened and my heart leaped, but only for an instant.

Meeta was coming through.

I dashed to her.

"elan and Chris," I said the instant I made it to her.

She looked into my eyes and replied, "I will go get them."

She turned to the doors that Alek and Remi had closed behind her only to find Stephan standing there.

"Stay here with your woman," Stephan ordered.

"My Maddie wants the children," Meeta replied.

"Stay-" Stephan started but didn't finish.

The doors opened again and Hans all but shoved Loretta through.

I was happy to see Loretta but, G.o.d!

Where were the kids?

Loretta rushed to Meeta and me. Her eyes were wild and when she grabbed my hand, I felt hers shaking.

Feeling her fear, it cut through me. Belatedly but it did it.

I had survived bad s.h.i.t. A terrible family. An abusive, criminal husband. Transportation to a whole different world.

And I was Captain Kirk. Kirk didn't freak. Kirk kept his s.h.i.t together.

I needed to get my s.h.i.t together.

So I grabbed both Loretta and Meeta's hands and held tight.

"Just waiting for the kids to get here and all will be well," I told them. "We're protected."

"Yes," Meeta said on a squeeze of my hand and I knew she squeezed Loretta's too. "Good magic will prevail."

Loretta licked her lips and held on tight.

I glanced around the room to see the others were holding their s.h.i.t and I took a deep breath to hold mine.

That worked some.

So I did it again.

Not great.

But better.

The doors opened and elan and Chris were ushered in by Gunnar. I saw Laures and Draven out with Alek and Remi.

Laures caught my eyes and nodded.

Okay, the kids were here, the guys were out there, Laures seemed calm.

I was even better.

I nodded back.

Gunnar closed the doors, joining us on our side.

elan ran to me.

I let my girls go and crouched down just in time for her little body to hit mine.

I wrapped my arms tight around her.

"It's dark outside, Miss Maddie!" she cried, her little voice trembling with fear.

And we could just say the sensation was extreme when the ice in my blood immediately ran hot when fear washed out and anger washed in.

My eyes went to Chris, and I held his sister tight to me as I said, "Everything's going to be fine. Your papa has made us safe. No one will get us."

Chris came our way, his eyes locked to mine, and he stopped close, putting his hand on his sister's back.

"It will be fine, elan," he muttered, his gaze still on mine.

I gave him a trembling smile.

His return smile was not trembling.

So like his dad.

Unfortunately, the next moment, we heard shrieks coming from the hall.

elan pressed deeper and made a noise of fear from low in her throat.

At hearing her fear, I swallowed my growl and felt the women pressing closer around us.

"Perhaps we should go to the nursery." I heard Cora say quietly. "I'm not sure my Hayden will sleep through this and I don't want him to wake frightened."

"I agree," Finnie replied, but her voice was uncertain and worried and her eyes were on Stephan. "The nursery is higher ground and we should all be together."

"You stay here," Stephan replied. "It's a mistake to move you and Zahnin, Bain, Oleg, Quincy, Balthazar, Max, Annar, Ruben and Thad are guarding the children."

That was a lot of protection.

I just hoped it was enough.

One look at Finnie's face, which was still worried but no longer uncertain, I knew it was enough.

There was a thud that sounded like a body hitting the wall outside.

d.a.m.n it!

I jumped. elan jumped in my arms. Murmurs filtered through the women around me. And Chris jerked to look at the door.

"We're safe," I whispered to elan, smoothing my hand over her hair, hoping to G.o.d the boys outside were as well.

She pushed deep, whining, "I want Papa."

I did too.

"We'll be okay, honey bunch," I told her. "He'll be here soon."

I pulled her even closer as more shrieks came.

These were close and another body thumped. This time against the door.

Chris whirled to me, his eyes wide. The little boy coming out, he couldn't hide his fear.

And at that, fire burned through me.

Those f.u.c.king witch b.i.t.c.hes.

The women got even closer, Cora putting a hand to Chris's shoulder and guiding him into our huddle.

"Miss Maddie," Meeta whispered.

"We're safe," I stated.

"Miss Maddie, give me the child." Meeta was still whispering.

Oh c.r.a.p.

I tipped my head back to look at her.

I didn't like what I saw.

"No," I said softly.

She stared into my eyes.

"They blocked me," she said softly. "Their power directed on other things, I am no longer blocked."

She had been blocked.

She was no longer blocked.

She knew what was going to happen.

And she wanted elan.

Okay.

s.h.i.t.

No.

Apollo's words pounded through my brain.

Do you not think all this says that it is time we set the sadness and tragedy where it belongs and look ahead to a future that could do nothing but beam bright?

I stared into Meeta's eyes.

Apparently, he was wrong.

Making my decision, I surged up, pushing elan her way. "Go!" I cried and turned to Loretta. "Take Chris!"

Loretta instantly grabbed Chris.

"Maddie, it's oh-" Finnie started.

At the same time, Chris shouted, "I stay with Miss Maddie!"

It was then there came a deafening explosion, the force of which blew the windows and curtains in, shattered gla.s.s and shards of velvet blasting through the air.