The downstairs door opened again, this time with Jackson who looked absolutely wrecked. His whole aura was heavy and tense. The soulmate glyph on his chest was dark-blue. Tim was behind him with both hands on Jackson’s shoulders. He gently eased him over to the table to sit down, then slid over the coffee he’d made for himself. Lily bounced back up the steps, now wearing her arm in a sling, she and Easton looking like a matching set. She went right over to where Easton sat on the coffee table facing Royce. He appeared to have started the sign language lesson.

I tapped Willow’s leg, then pointed to them. "Go join them. I bet he’s a better teacher than me.”

Willow smiled, then hurried over to sit next to Royce. Easton immediately started helping her. That made me smile. He was a goofy dude, always making jokes and quick to laugh, but he was equally as caring and sensitive. That was all probably a product of him being the Lovers Card.

Loud stomping echoed up the stairs and I was a bit surprised to find the sound came from Emersyn. Her golden eyes blazed with little flames on her eyelashes and on the tips of her hair. Her face, white shirt, and hands all had blood stains on them.

Hunter, Kessler, and Royce all sat up with fear in their eyes but said nothing.

“How dare he be dying on me again. How dare him.” She stomped over and sat right next to her father like even she knew she needed to calm down. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why is it always me who has to suffer this? He should have to know what this feels like. I swear to Goddess if he does it a third time I will kill him myself.”

Kessler snort-laughed so hard he had to cover his mouth with his hand. Tim threw his head back and laughed.

Hunter just closed his eyes and shook his head. He wrapped one arm around his daughter’s shoulders and squeezed, his golden magic sliding over her instantly. “C’mere, kiddo. I promise we’ll make sure he suffers appropriately once he’s healed. Okay?”

She huffed. “He better.”

I giggled. “I get it. I’d rather be angry than sad.”

Tenn and Jackson nodded silently.

Mona and Katherine came up the stairs together. They each had a book in their hands, but when they got to the living room, they swapped books without speaking. Mona went straight over to sit on Kessler’s lap, curling her legs on his and reading. Kessler just stroked her hair with his hand, and I realized he was still holding Hunter in place, though I wondered if that was more of an emotional support grip than anything. Katherine sat down in the chair beside Tim and rested her head on his shoulder, the book open on the table in front of her.