She grimaced. “You’re right. We are pieces of work, my friend.” She clinked her bottle against mine. “Cheers.”

I drained the last of my water.

“The thing about where I am now,” Juliet said, screwing the top back on, “is knowing that it is possible to heal from a childhood with my father. Move on. Be happy.” She nodded down at the park. “I have my daughter. Good friends. A good life. He can’t take that from me.”

I bent to get Juliet’s bag for her, helping her gather up her things, when I felt Lou shout through the bond. I straightened, my head whipping around to the playground.

“What is it?” Juliet asked, coming alert.

“Something’s wrong.” I tried to pull more information through the bond while I searched frantically for Lou. She sent me another, softer message. I closed my eyes, sucking in a breath to steady my heartbeat as Lou apologized for scaring me. “No one’s hurt. Lou was just surprised.” I grimaced at Juliet. “Your dad’s here.”

“You scared me for a second.” She put a hand to her chest, trying to calm herself.

“Do you think we summoned him somehow?” I asked.

She laughed at my joke, then frowned down at herself. “Yoga pants, tank top with a baby food stain, and my hair is a mess. Just the way I want to see my dad for the first time since he threw me out.”

“You look beautiful,” I said, and I meant it. “You don’t have to see him, you know. I can run him off, bring Lou and Savannah back up here.”

She shook her head. “That, my friend, is the coward’s way. I just have to treat him like he’s Jareth.”

I tilted my head. “The goblin king? From Labyrinth?”

She nodded. “There’s a line that the girl says in the movie. ‘You have no power over me.’ That’s been my mantra when dealing with my dad for a long time. He has no power over me. Not anymore.” She plowed ahead, making her way down the hill.

I followed close behind. “I just really hope he’s not dressed as the goblin king,” I said. “I can’t handle your dad in tights.”

We got around to the other side of the playground, Lou coming into view, Savannah nestled in her arms. She never took her eyes off Woodbridge, but sent me a wave of relief through the bond, letting me know she was so glad we were there.

Woodbridge looked at me and Juliet in our sweat-damp workout clothes and his lip curled.

Juliet ignored his expression, plucking her daughter from Lou’s arms. “Arcanist Woodbridge, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Would you believe he just happened to be in the park?” Lou asked dryly.

“No,” Juliet said. “I do not.”

Woodbridge wasn’t doing anything, but I didn’t like him near my pack. I wanted him gone. I would happily pick him up, carry him to the nearest tall building, and toss him out of the highest window. But Juliet had stepped up, it was her fight, and I needed to let her handle it.