Black London 05 - Soul Trade

stopped.
    “Oh, and Dad,” he said, as Donovan struggled to get to his feet. “You can slag me off all you want, but as far as disappointing you goes…” He grinned at Donovan, and it was the Jack grin Pete knew, not the pale imitation his father used. “I can’t remember when I’ve been more fucking proud of meself. You ever come near me family again, I’ll fucking kill you.”
    He turned his backand said to Pete, “Let’s go, luv. I’ve had me fill of the country.”
    “That makes two of us,” Pete grumbled. “I’ve got so much mud on me, I may never leave greater London again.”
    As they descended the hill and found one of the Prometheans’ parked cars to take, Pete realized she could see again. The fog had lifted from Overton. The black cairn marking the soul well was knocked over, and the treehad withered down to a twisted stump.
    The sky was clear.
    The ravens had gone.

 
    28.
    It was a simple enough matter to convince the care workers in Manchester to let Pete take custody of Margaret, at least temporarily. The Smythes didn’t have any relatives, and Pete was a responsible sort who actually wanted to take control of a belligerent thirteen-year-old. The care worker practically threw the paperwork at her with a bow on it.
    When they were on the train back to London,Margaret dozing, Pete put her head on Jack’s shoulder and finally let her eyes close. “How are you?” she asked softly.
    He sucked in a breath, and then she felt his arm slide around her, fingers squeezing hard enough to leave a mark. “How d’you think I am?”
    “Feeling like shite, probably,” Pete murmured. “Same as me.”
    “Too right,” Jack sighed. “This was a Hell of a week, Petunia, I won’t lie.’M as bloody and battered as I ever have been.”
    “I’m sorry I lied to you,” Pete said, so softly she didn’t know if Jack heard her over the roar of the train.
    He was quiet for a moment, and then she felt his chest expand with a sigh. “If you’d told me you were planning to channel the soul well, I’d’ve done something boneheaded to stop you.”
    “You had to know I wouldn’t just lie down for someonelike Morwenna,” Pete said.
    “Yeah,” Jack agreed. “But you did right not telling me, and I can admit that.”
    “I hated it,” Pete confessed, feeling a hot prickle in her eyes and willing them to stay dry. “The thought of never seeing you or Lily again. But I hated the thought of us living in a place like that more.”
    “I think about it sometimes,” Jack said. “One or the other of us not making it.I’m not like you, Pete. I can’t even consider it.”
    Pete found his hand and squeezed it. Jack wasn’t one to rush in on a white horse. She’d made peace with that long ago, and it was fine. She could be the hero, and he could be the rock. It’d be a nice change for once. “You would. If it was me or Lily. You have. You’re the bravest man I know, Jack Winter, and that’ll never change.”
    “You thinkthat’s it?” Jack said. “That the Prometheans’ll listen and stay away?”
    “I don’t know,” Pete said, not wanting to voice what she did know. She’d merely hit pause on what was coming, not ended it. The Morrigan was more intent than ever on having Jack for her own. The Black was irreparably broken, and the appearance of the soul well was only the first major crack in the walls between worlds.
    “Idon’t even bloody care at this point.” Jack put his arm around her, holding her to him. “I’m sorry,” he said. “About Donovan and all of that. You think you don’t give a fuck about those people, and then they show up and they slice you right to the fucking core, like you were six years old again. To think for a few seconds there I actually considered forgiving that cunt…”
    Pete stopped him, shakingher head. “Jack, your parents were horrid, awful, selfish people, and Donovan made the choice to mess with black magic and try to grab a little more power rather than do right by his son,” she said. “Don’t fucking apologize for him.”
    He laughed, rough and regretful. “We’ll do better. Especially now that it seems we’ve got two.”
    “We will,” Pete agreed. “I mean, how hard could it possibly be todo better than my crazy mum and your homicidal dad?”
    Jack kissed the top of her head. “You always know exactly what to say to a bloke.”
    “It’s my superpower,” Pete said. She nestled into Jack’s chest again. “It all worked out,”