“The Pack has my aunt’s body and blood. I’ll need to pick it up so I can transport it to Mishmar.”

“I couldn’t keep you from taking it anyway,” Jim said. “You’re next of kin.”

“I know.” Georgia’s legal code specifically stated that the bodies of all shapeshifters had to be returned to their families. The Pack had lobbied for this law to be passed. Curran had wanted it in place to make sure that no shapeshifter organs were sold on the black market. Because the law had originated from him, the Pack also codified and honored it, extending it to all Pack members rather than only shapeshifters. At the time I stabbed my aunt in the eye, I was a member of the Pack.

“I wanted you to know why.”

Jim’s face was grim. “And the Oracle thinks the battle is inevitable?”

“Yes.”

His expression turned darker. I knew what he was thinking. To evacuate or not to evacuate. He’d have to make a decision regarding sending the children out of the Keep. He’d have to decide if he should pull in his forces to fight or scatter them to keep the casualties low. I’ve been in that precise spot before. The weight of every decision was enough to crush your spine.

“If I go to the Witch Oracle, will they show me the vision?” he asked.

“You can ask. There is no harm in it. All they can do is say no. Will you have the remains in some sort of portable form?”

“I’ll look into it. Kate, don’t think that it’s you against him. That’s how you talk about it, but it’s not true. He’s by himself, but you have all of us. We’re in it together and we’ll stand against him together. You have a lot of goodwill in this city.”

“Thanks, Jim.” That was unexpected.

“And if you ever turn into your father and feed on this city like a leech, I will kill you.”

Really? Not even in your wildest dreams. “If I ever turn into my father, you will kneel and pledge yourself to me, Jim. And you will be happy doing it.”

His expression turned flat.

I winked at him, got up, and left. That wasn’t the smartest thing to say, but I was getting sick of people threatening me and he had no room to talk. Let him chew on that reality check.

•   •   •

OUR HOUSE WAS dark. No lights on except for a feylantern. I gave it the evil eye.

“Julie’s avoiding me.”

“Can you blame her?” Curran asked. “She knows she’s in trouble. She’s hoping you’ll cool off.”

“Avoiding me makes me more pissed off. Eventually, I’ll go and find her, and she won’t like it.”

“No, you won’t,” he said. “You’re too busy with—what was it again you were going to do?”