Ravensong (Green Creek 2)

My father’s magic was strong.

But the doors had been shut.

Robert Livingstone had hurt us.

But he should have killed us.

Because now we were pissed.

And there was nothing he could do to stop us.

I STARED at the computer as I sat in my office. Robbie had updated our software yet again, and I couldn’t figure it out. Every key I hit on the computer made the goddamn thing chime, and I was a few seconds away from grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and rubbing his face in it.

Out in the garage, the radio was turned to some sort of butt rock, most likely Tanner’s doing. I could hear them laughing and shouting at each other as they worked. It should have been irritating, but it was soothing in ways I couldn’t explain. It was normal. It was years and years of our shared history. It was the sound of survival. Two months later, and they could laugh.

I sighed and sat back in my ancient chair, tilting my face toward the ceiling. There was a small water stain in the corner that I’d never gotten around to doing anything about. I stared at it for a while until someone cleared their throat in the doorway.

“I’m fine,” I said, because they were nothing if not predictable.

“Okay,” Ox said easily.

I looked at him, the chair creaking underneath me. “I’m fine.”

He shrugged, rubbing oil from his hands with an old rag. “That’s good. I’m just happy to see you back here.”

“I needed time.”

“I know. We all did.”

“Robbie updated the software again.”

“Yeah. He does that. Thinks it’ll help.”

“It doesn’t.”

“He’s making a website. For the garage.”

“Goddammit,” I muttered.

Ox grinned. “Couldn’t hurt.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

I rolled my eyes. “They’re doing fine without me.”

“Oh, I know they are. I just thought you’d want to be there. You’re very… particular about how things are set up in your house.”

My eye twitched.

“Mark has a lot of stuff.” I stood up, the chair rolling into the wall.

“Yeah,” Ox said. “Had to rent one of those twenty-footers.”

“I have to go,” I said, fumbling for my keys.

Ox laughed and stepped aside as I walked past him through the doorway. W