Magical Midlife Dating (Leveling Up 2)

Jessie turned back to Austin Steele and took a deep breath. “I can’t let you free just yet, do you see why?”

Niamh wished she could’ve snuck around to look at his face. All she could clearly see was the blood leaking out from around the knife still stuck in his back. She’d hit the meaty part, so he’d be fine, but still, that had to hurt.

“You’re in that dark place,” Jessie said, stepping closer to Austin Steele, her voice soft and resonant, supportive and understanding. “I get why. I appreciate all the things you said a moment ago. Thank you for trying to protect me. Niamh is right, though—I’m doing okay. I’m giving much better than I’m getting. If I wasn’t, I’d say something. I’d stop. The first time I was supposed to attempt flying, I backed off, remember? You need to trust me, Austin. You need to listen to me when I tell you I’m okay. I know it’s in your nature to reduce harm to those in your territory, but I don’t need it. When I do, I’ll ask, okay? I promise you, I will ask. I know I haven’t always been good about that, but I’m getting better.”

Niamh stepped forward, suddenly freed.

Austin Steele took a deep, shuddering breath. “Would you mind taking the knife out of my back?”

Jessie’s brow fell and hurt flashed in her eyes. “Real mature, Austin. I tell you all of that, and you think I, what, betrayed you by saying I can think for myself?”

“No, no.” He half turned, grunting with the pain. “The actual knife in my actual back. Can you take it out? I can’t heal with it stuck in there.”

“Oh my…” Her face blanched. She grabbed the hilt with shaking hands and yanked. “What the hell… Who stuck a… Niamh, did you… Why…”

“She was probably trying to slow me down,” he said.

“By stabbing you?” Jessie asked, dropping the knife into the sink and quickly grabbing a towel.

“Did it work?” Earl asked, still lying on top of the broken table.

“Why don’t you two go for a walk?” Niamh said, preferring to have Austin Steele out of the house. Jessie was clearly the only one who could calm him down when he was in a rage. “Go visit Edgar. He’s always on about no one visitin’ him. Don’t accept the tae, though. Trust me on that one. You don’t want a cuppa tae from his house.”

“Let him heal first.” Jessie put the towel to his back, the deep crimson now flowing down his skin.

“It’s fine.” Austin Steele delicately moved away from Jessie’s touch. “Going outside would be good.”

With an incredulous look at Niamh, Jessie led him from the room, wisely choosing the side door.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Niamh said, “Get up, Earl, we need to talk to that thickheaded muppet. That gargoyle has the upper hand with this house—with Jessie—he should’ve been the bigger man and kept walking. He only stopped because he wanted to ride the rage of Austin Steele, the dope.” Niamh stalked to the door and paused, waiting to see if Earl would get up. “Did you know this door was here, by the way?”

“There are doors everywhere.” He groaned as he rolled onto the floor. “It’s the way Ivy House traps people in rooms.”

“I see that.” She waited for him to slowly stand. “Austin Steele had a lot of good points about how we’re training Jessie. She’s handling the battering, but does she need to be?”

“No, but we don’t have much choice. Damarion was… Oh, that is stiff.” Earl rubbed his neck as he cocked his head. “Austin Steele is like a tornado when he gets going.”

“He sure flung you something good.”

He grimaced and massaged his back. “Damarion was chosen, just as we all have been.”

“A protector is only chosen when he is given the magic and a seat. Damarion has been given neither, despite asking Ivy House for them.”

“Jessie isn’t sure about him yet, that’s why. She has the final say, not this house. But there can be no mistaking that her ability has grown in leaps and bounds in a short time.”

“Except in flying. She isn’t getting any better there…”

“No.” A troubled expression crossed Earl’s face as Niamh slid open the door without a problem. It fit seamlessly into the wall, as though there wasn’t a door in there at all. This house was tricky. “You don’t suppose she didn’t get that facet of the magic, do you? Surely she should be exhibiting some of the signs of flying by now…”

They made their way up to Damarion’s room by silent agreement.

“Austin Steele seemed to think we were going about it the wrong way…” Niamh said, thinking back over their conversation.

“Austin Steele wasn’t chosen to train her,” Earl replied.

“How could he be? He doesn’t want any part of this.”