Either way, with the valkyries as escorts, I handed him over to the coven master…not mistress, for once…of a group in Hampton Roads.

“We’ll need…”

“She’s carrying his child,” Thruor said. “That should be enough of a connection without having to bring her here.”

A bit of a smile from the witch. A smile I didn’t like. “Well, he won’t ever get close to her again.”

I trusted that was true, stepped outside. Thruor followed me. “We can’t take you anywhere,” she quipped.

“Apparently not. And I wasn’t even intending to rescue her, I was just trying to get a selkie her cloak back.”

“Don’t trust selkies.”

“I don’t.” My thoughts were amused. “But as I said to the selkie, I don’t really trust myself, either.”

“Good point,” Thruor quipped. “Given who you are.”

“Exactly. So, no, I didn’t trust her. Didn’t mean I wanted her forced into a relationship with whoever had it.”

“Except…”

“Except it was Eden, and she thought she could use it.”

Thruor pursed her lips.

“She’s got selkie blood.”

“Not enough. Well, occasionally enough of it comes together. But…”

“Not in her, or her kid.” I sighed a bit. “And apparently her ex is the only person with no magical talent in a family of witches. I sort of feel sorry for him.”

Thruor shook her head. “He could have come to somebody.”

“He did. He just picked the wrong somebody. But I…”

“You need to meet up with your friend and get back by nightfall.”

I nodded. “Do you…”

“Sarita would have dropped her off at the shelter.” Thruor rattled off the address.

I left the car and headed there on foot, at the quick pace I could manage when I was alone. Shields up, of course. Outside, I found Sarita.

“I won’t ask…”

“I carjacked her husband.”

Sarita stopped. Then she laughed. “He…”

“I gave it back to him, with enough of a scare that he won’t come back here any time soon.”

“You’re weird.”

“I know.” I rather hoped she’d forget how weird.

People I dragged into this had a habit of dying, after all.