WHEN they arrived at the den, Brie placed Maddox on one of the one-seaters and knelt down in front of him. She snapped her fingers making Maddox wake up. He let out a yawn as he stretched his arms up. "Now stay right here," Brie ordered; brushing a piece of Maddox's hair away from his face.
She quickly placed a kiss on his forehead before he could protest before standing up. "Keep an eye on him," she turned to Randall who nodded; moving to stand behind Maddox.
Together, she and Hamish walked down to the basement where Vera was preparing a potion. The Temple Magus looked up at Brie before her eyes narrowed at the young woman. "So…you knew who the werewolves were," Vera snarled to Brie who rolled her eyes.
"Been helping them too. Now shut up and finish the potion," Brie snapped back; leaning against the wall across Vera with her arms crossed.
Hamish stood beside her; also staring down at Vera with watchful eyes. Although Brie has known Vera since she was a child, she didn't trust her with the Knights.
"Hamish! Brie!" Randall's voice called out from upstairs.
They rushed upstairs with Vera following behind them. "I'm a bargaining chip?" they heard Maddox ask when they entered the living room.
"For fuck sake," Brie snapped as Vera walked over to Maddox and placed a finger on his temple; "Dormitum dimittatur."
"Never tell a hostage they're a hostage," Vera explained as she looked over Randall.
"Magus, wipe anyone else's memories lately?" Lilith asked making Brie realised she was there.
"Several. Beats killing them," Vera answered with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Why is she here, anyway?" Lilith asked as she turned to Hamish who was standing beside her.
"Helping us fight Coventry," Hamish answered before he walked over to Maddox.
"I'm putting him in your room," he pointed to Randall as he picked up Maddox and threw him over his shoulder.
"In exchange for what?" Lilith asked as Brie followed Hamish making her unable to hear Vera's reply.
Brie opened the door to Randall's bedroom and held it open for Hamish to walk in. He placed Maddox on the bed and joined Brie by the door. She closed the door and leaned against it; looking up at Hamish. They gave each other small smiles as Hamish stepped towards her. They didn't speak but they didn't feel the need to.
As Brie slowly raised to her tiptoes, Hamish leaned down towards her. But just as their lips were about to connect, he stopped and turned his head away. "What's wrong?" Brie asked as she swallowed her pride.
"The Order," was all he said making Brie's eyes widened.
They rushed back to the living room together. While Brie stood by the doorway, Hamish walked over to the window and looked outside. "We have company," he informed the others making them all look at each other.
A buzzing noise came from Randall's pocket which made him pull out his phone from his pocket. "It's Jack," he informed everyone as he texted Jack back.
His phone buzzed one more time which he responded back. "What does he say?" Lilith asked as Randall stared down at his phone with frowning brows.
"He wants us to protect Maddox," he answered before putting his phone back into his pocket.
"They're circling the house," Hamish pointed out as they could see cloaked figures outside moving around the house.
"What are they up to?" he asked out loud which Vera answered; "Knowing Kepler, something unoriginal."
"Inflammetur!" they could hear someone cast from outside causing a bright light to shine through the window.
"Like that," Vera remarked before grabbing Brie's hands.
Together they closed their eyes before saying in unison; "Protegatur locus hic."
"How long is that gonna protect us?" Hamish asked as he walked over to the two women.
"Long enough for us to deal with them," Vera answered making Hamish smirk.
He began walking towards the front door while unbuttoning his vest. Brie and Vera followed after him; not before Vera remarked to Lilith; "You're not ready."
"And you're in no position to tell me what to do," Lilith snarled as she stood up before falling into Randall's chest.
"But I'm choosing to take a second to recover," she corrected herself once Randall had helped her onto her feet.
"Keep an eye on her," Hamish ordered Randall once he had finished unbuttoning his shirt.
"Two minutes then I'm tagging in," Randall stated making Vera remark; "We won't need two minutes."
She then turned to Hamish and pointed a finger at him; "No killing."
"No promises," he replied back with a large smirk.
Once they exited out the front door, Hamish transformed into Tundra. Brie flicked her wrist causing two figures to be thrown off their feet. She walked forward and pointed her hands towards another two figures causing them to hover in the air. Her hands twisted so her palms were now facing the ground which the figures to be thrown into the ground…hard.
Suddenly, Brie felt her body be thrown to the side, causing her to hit her head on the side of the house. She slowly rose to her feet with a hand over the cut that was now on her temple. She could feel blood steeping through her fingers. Feeling rage now coursing through her, she twisted her wrist towards the one who thrown her; causing a loud crack to echo as their legs snapped. She didn't want to kill them…but she wasn't afraid of hurting them.
"Brie, let go," she could hear Vera say to her.
Brie closed her eyes before taking a deep breath and opening them again. The flames that had surrounded them disappeared making most to freeze. Vera had moved herself to stand behind Brie with a small smile. She knew Brie had been holding everything in. And now it was time for her to let go.
Brie thrusted her hands forward; unleashing the fire she had absorbed. She had aimed the fire to push back the Order as well as encase Hamish to protect him. Through Tundra's eyes, Hamish could see Brie's eyes growing bright purple which stood out against the flames and the blood streaming down her face. A loud yell escaped from her as she continued pushing the Order away with the fire.
Knowing they were powerless against Brie, Kepler ordered; "Retreat!"
The flames lessened around Kepler before Tundra launched towards her, ripping out her left eye. She pushed back Tundra and placed a hand over her bleeding eye. She felt someone grabbed her wrist and begin pulling her away.
Brie let her arms drop to her side causing the flames to disappear. Her body felt weak. She felt herself begin to fall but she didn't hit the ground as she felt arms wrap around her. A small smile appeared on her face when she looked up and saw Hamish was the one who caught her. He helped Brie became steady on her feet. She placed her hands on his bare chest; trying everything in her power not to swoon at the feeling of his firm chest. Her eyes closed before she opened them to see she had magicked a robe around Hamish to hide his nude body. Mostly to keep herself from fainting at his god-like body.
Vera appeared by their side and they walked back into the den; looking dishevelled. "Hey!" Lilith greeted them as she quickly moved away from Randall.
"So, did we…did we miss the fighting?" Randall asked making Brie raise an eyebrow at the awkward tense forming.
"Just a little," Hamish remarked; his arms firming wrapped around Brie's waist to keep her on her feet.
"And I have a potion to finish," Vera pointed out which Lilith remark; "Congratulations."
"I need werewolf blood," Vera snarled as she placed her hands on her hips.
"Not it," Hamish and Lilith spoke in unison; holding a hand in the air.
"Not it. Shit," Randall snapped when he realised, he was the last to spoke.
"Would you be so kind," Vera said as she began walking down to the basement.
"Yeah," Randall nodded in agreement.
Randall whispered something to Lilith that Brie couldn't hear, and she couldn't hear what Lilith had whispered back either. Lilith watched him leave with a smile on her face which made Brie and Hamish stare at her with frowning brows. "Are you…smiling?" Hamish asked making the smile disappear off Lilith's face.
"No. Fuck you," she snapped to Hamish as she turned away from him.
Hamish picked Brie off her feet bridal style and carried her to the couch. She didn't feel as weak as she was before, but she knew she should rest while Vera finished the potion. Once Hamish had sat her down on the couch, she placed a hand over her wound. He watched as a gold light shone under her hand before it disappeared and she pulled her hand away, revealing her wound was now healed.
"Gotta love magic," she joked with a smile which Hamish mimicked.
Brie felt at peace. For the first time since she lost her mother.