I’m sitting in the passenger seat of Lukas’s car, watching the city blur past the window. The atmosphere in the car is surprisingly calm, like the eye of a storm we haven’t fully escaped. In the back seat, Uncle Lance is gently petting Roxy, his hand resting on her fur like it’s anchoring him. It took him a couple minutes to warm up to her, but once he did, it was like someone flipped a switch. Now he’s all but clinging to her like an oversized teddy bear. Roxy lies across the seat with her head resting on his knee, eyes half lidded and peaceful, like she knows she’s doing something important just by being there. I think Uncle Lance is thrilled by the attention. There’s this soft, surprised look on his face every time she nuzzles against him, like he forgot what it feels like to be shown affection without conditions. It strikes me that for a man who just walked out on a decades long marriage, Uncle Lance doesn’t seem all that upset. Sad, maybe. Worn out. But not devastated. I’m starting to think that whatever relationship he and Aunt Daisy used to have probably ended a long time ago. He’s been more of a minion than a husband for years now. A quiet yes man supporting her every opinion, always adjusting himself and hiding away to avoid setting her off. This is going to be hard for him. I know that. But right now? He just looks… Relieved. Like someone who finally stopped holding their breath. I want to ask him everything. I want the dirt. All of it. What Aunt Daisy’s been doing. What she’s planning. What secrets she’s hiding in that cursedly clean house of hers. But then I glance back and see how small he looks, shoulders curled forward slightly, hand resting like a lifeline on Roxy’s head and I know that the smallest thing could break him right now. I don’t think I could handle watching him cry.
There’s a long silence, soft and fragile. And then, Uncle Lance speaks.
“I need to apologise to you…” He says quietly.
“To both of you, but especially you, Clare.” He adds, his tone guilty. I twist in my seat to glance back at him. He’s looking down, not at me, eyes fixed on Roxy’s ears like they might offer him moral support.
“For what exactly?” I ask gently. Not disagreeing. Just… Unsure where this is going. The guilt in his voice is heavy. Almost too heavy.
“I should have done something. I should’ve stopped her. Turned her in.” His voice cracks, just a little.
“I don’t know all the details, I didn’t even notice until the money started coming in, but Daisy’s been working for Solem for a while now. She goes to the scenes, after he or his people have done something, and she… She cleans them up. Covers it. Burns the evidence. She’s very good with fire, after all.” He sighs. My stomach twists. So Aunt Daisy’s not just involved. She’s complicit. Aunt Daisy, the perfectly put together matriarch of our family, is Solem’s magical clean up crew. And from the sound of it, this isn’t some cursed deal situation. She’s not being forced. She’s just… Doing it. Lukas speaks up beside me, his voice calm and steady.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” His tone isn’t accusatory. Just curious. Uncle Lance sighs, a long, shuddering breath.
“It sounds stupid now, but… I stayed quiet because I wanted to keep the family together. I thought if I just stayed out of it, if I didn’t rock the boat, things would settle. But when I saw her threaten you, Clare… That’s when I realised…” He trails off and looks up, his eyes meeting mine.
“Our family hasn’t been whole in a long time.” He admits brokenly. I look away, swallowing down the lump forming in my throat.
“And that’s the other reason I’m sorry.” He says, quieter now.
“I always knew Daisy wasn’t… Kind to you. And your parents weren’t either. I disagreed. I hated it. But I convinced myself it wasn’t my place to interfere. That raising you was your parents’ job. I told myself I couldn’t do anything without just making everything worse…” Uncle Lance trails off. I hear him shift in his seat, his voice rough.
“I think maybe I was just so… Beaten down, I didn’t want to make waves. But that’s no excuse. I should have done something. The way you’ve been treated… Well it wasn’t fair. Not to you. Not to your brother. Not to Laura either.” He says guiltily. The silence that follows is heavier than before.
“I suppose I’m paying the price for all that now. I’ve left my wife. My daughter doesn’t speak to me. And I’m fairly sure the only reason you’re helping me is because you feel sorry for me.” He adds, his voice barely above a whisper. That hurts more than I expect it to. Because he’s… Not completely wrong. I DO feel sorry for him. But that’s not the only reason I’m here. My feelings are messy. Complicated. But there’s something else too. A quiet hope that maybe this could be the beginning of something better.
“I think…” I start slowly, searching for the right words.
“That’s not the only reason.” I tell him. I glance back at him. Uncle Lance looks up, his eyes uncertain.
“I think I’d really like to be closer to you, to be a real family. And this is as good a time as any to start.” I eventually tell him. For a second, Uncle Lance doesn’t say anything. Then he nods, just once and gives me the smallest, most hopeful smile I’ve ever seen on his face. It’s not perfect. None of this is. But maybe… It's a start. I glance at my phone, heart sinking a little. I really need to tell Laura. And Julian. Because if I’m confused right now… Laura is going to freak.
I COULD wait and tell Laura in person. Or call her. But honestly? I think no matter how I tell Laura this, it’s going to be a shock. There’s no gentle version of this story. And I doubt she’s going to be upset, not exactly. If anything, I’m hoping she might even be… Happy? I mean, I know she knows that Uncle Lance will be better off without Aunt Daisy. So, while Lukas drives us to the same pet friendly hotel he stayed in before (Roxy is already snoozing with her head still in Lance’s lap), I pull out my phone and start a group chat with Laura and Julian.
Clare- So I have news. Big news.
Julian- You’re engaged?
Laura- You’re pregnant?
Clare- WHAT? No! What is wrong with you both?
Julian- I didn’t think my guess was that impossible.
Clare- Believe me. It is.
Julian- I could ask Luk. I bet he wouldn’t say it’s impossible.
Laura- Wait, you call him Luk? Are you guys friends now? When did this happen? Are you hanging out without me?
Julian- Just the one time.
Laura- The betrayal. I want to get to know my future cousin in law.
Julian- I’ll invite you next time.
Clare- Only if you bring your girlfriend, Julian and I told you both, I’m not engaged!
Julian- Yet.
Laura- WAIT! Julian has a girlfriend? Why does no one ever tell me anything?
Clare- I’m literally texting you right now to tell you something, but you keep getting me off topic!
Laura- Okay, okay. Tell us. I’m listening.
Julian- Yep. Ready. Hit us.
Clare- So. Lukas and I went to confront Aunt Daisy.
Laura- Wait, already? Was she awful?
Clare- Worse than usual. Turns out she IS working for Solem. Has been for a while too. And no, she’s not under a deal. She’s getting paid.
Julian- Damn. We kind of suspected that though, didn’t we?
Laura- Yeah… Disappointing but not exactly shocking behaviour from her. Does that count as big news?
Clare- That’s not the big news.
Clare- She lost it. Like a full meltdown. She even started threatening me. And…
Laura- AND???
Clare- And Uncle Lance stepped in.
Julian- Stepped in how?
Clare- He told her off. Like actually stood up to her. THEN he announced he was leaving her. He’s literally in the back seat of the car right now. He packed his bags. We’re driving him to a hotel.
Laura- !!!!!!!!!!
Julian- WHAT THE HELL???
Laura- Is this a joke?? I didn’t think Dad could talk back to Mum. I thought it was, like… A biological impossibility?
Clare- Apparently not. He did it. And honestly? It was impressive.
Clare- He’s kind of quiet now, though. Down. He says he’s not going back to her, but he keeps apologising. Said he should’ve treated the three of us better. That he stood by too long.
Clare- I think he thinks we all hate him.
Laura- …Oh.
Clare- Yeah. Oh.
Laura- I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. Like… Part of me is angry, but part of me is just… Sad?
Clare- Same. But I think you should talk to him. He’s trying. And it’s not like he has anyone else right now.
Laura- You’re right. I’ll come by. I want to talk to him.
Clare- I’ll send you the hotel name once we check him in.
Julian- Yeah, send it to me too. I’ll visit him tomorrow. Just shoot me his room number when he’s settled.
Clare- Sure thing.
We reach the hotel in the late afternoon. I’m kind of starving, we’re well overdue for lunch. Lukas parks the car, and we all step out, the air cool and calm. I grab one of Uncle Lance’s bags while Lukas goes around to open the back and help with the others. Roxy hops out and immediately presses against Lance’s side like a loyal bodyguard, and for a moment, everything almost feels peaceful. And then my phone starts ringing. I glance down and see Richard’s name on the screen. Huh. That’s odd. He usually texts.
“Hey Richard.” I answer, trying to sound cheerful.
“How are things going?” I ask.
“He’s gone! Wren is gone!” He says, his tone is panicked and wild. The words hit me like a bucket of ice water.
“WHAT?” I practically shriek. The panic in my voice makes Lukas drop the bag he’s holding. He’s at my side in seconds, his hand landing firmly on my shoulder so he can listen to the call.
*Wren is gone.* I tell him mentally, trying to push the thought as clearly as I can. My hands are shaking.
“Shit.” Lukas mutters, already reaching for his keys again.
“I’m so sorry.” Richard says through the phone, clearly panicking.
“I don’t know what happened. We were just watching a movie, he was totally relaxed! I stepped out to use the bathroom for literally one minute, and when I came back he was halfway out the kitchen window!” He explains. I press a hand to my forehead, trying to steady myself.
“We’re on our way now.” I say quickly. I hand Uncle Lance his bag. He might not know exactly what’s happening, but he knows there’s an emergency, he’s going to have to check into the hotel himself.
“Wait, don’t.” Richard interrupts, voice urgent.
“There’s no point. I’m stuck here, remember? The wards. I can’t leave until Rina or Torin shows up. And I’ve already lost sight of him. He’s gone. We need to work out where he would go.” He says miserably. I look helplessly at Lukas, who exhales slowly through his nose and scrubs a hand down his face.
“We know where he’s going.” Lukas says grimly.
“Straight to Solem.” He points out. I let out a groan, frustrated and furious and scared all at once.
“What the hell are we going to do now?” I demand. Wren. Sweet, awkward, too smart for his own good Wren, gone. I KNEW something was still off. I should have checked in more. I should’ve done something. He was doing better, but that deal magic had its claws in him deep, and we should have known it wasn’t done with him yet.
“Do we have any kind of tracking spell?” I ask Lukas quickly.
“No.”He replies, jaw tight.
“Not unless Rina or Torin marked him, and I’m guessing they didn’t. He was supposed to be safe inside the wards.” He says, clearly frustrated. I pace in a tight circle, clutching the phone.
“Okay. Okay. We need to think. Solem’s people wouldn’t just grab him off the street if they didn’t have a plan. There has to be a reason. A timing thing. A ritual. Something.” I say frantically.
“He probably didn’t even need to be grabbed.” Lukas says darkly.
“The magical compulsion was strong… Wren went willingly.” He sighs. That’s the worst part. He’s right. I close my eyes and try to force the panic down. It won’t help. I need to think. Wren doesn’t have long. If Solem has him, it means we’re well and truly out of time.