Barron's Prey

Barron

Chapter 19

"So, no one wants to talk about anything?"

Bryn's voice grated on his nerves, but he took a deep breath and let out that frustration.

"We could talk about witches," Sara offered.

Barron growled under his breath, but kept his eyes on the road. He wasn't risking hitting someone else. The SUV already had four more people than he wanted there. "Can we talk about nothing?"

Molly chuckled beside him, and he could feel his body relax. "You wouldn't let them ask me questions last night."

"You were tired."

"And you're sweet, but they have questions."

Snickers from the back of the car had him growling again. "I'll drop you all off at the next gas station and leave you there."

"No, you won't," Owen said with humor in his voice. "You promised Ally to bring me where I needed to go. You don't break your promises."

"They need to trust me, Barron. That's the only way this little trip will work out."

He glanced at Molly quickly before looking towards the road once more. The smile on her face wasn't forced. She was relaxed, and if he wasn't mistaken, happy. "Fine, but the only one that needs to be on this trip is Owen. The rest of you, I'll leave."

"I'll push them out if they go too far," Owen offered cheerfully.

Barron chuckled lightly. He knew Molly hadn't realized it at the time, but her caring about Owen earned her a protector for life. "Deal."

"No deal," Bryn said in irritation. "No one is going to hurt her. Both of you need to get over yourselves. Now, first question. Do you want a big family?"

His hand tightened on the steering wheel. "Bryn."

Reaching over, Molly placed her hand over his and pulled it down in the middle of their seats. Her hand intertwined with his. "I already have a big family."

"Ah," Namir said from the back. "I love a big family of witches." He paused. "If they're not part of the council."

"I had an aunt on the small council like seven years ago, but she gave it up. Our family doesn't really get into the light and dark war."

"Light and dark war?" Owen asked. "Wait, take the next exit."

Barron eased off the interstate as Namir answered. "A century ago, the witches were separated into light and dark. When a witch is born, they have a lightness or they have a darkness."

"Occasionally, now, people will be born with both or neither," Molly interrupted. "Back then, light witches thought if you had the ability to control darkness, it meant you were bad."

"A lot of them still think that way," Sara threw in. "They don't realize that the power you have doesn't determine whether you're a good person or a bad person. I've met bad light witches and good dark witches. There isn't anything predestined that makes a person bad or good. It's their decision."

Molly turned in her seat to look at Sara. "You've met witches before?"

"I ran across sisters a couple years ago," Sara answered. "They had different abilities, but they were both evil bitches."

"Gotcha," Molly mumbled as she flipped back around.

"However," she continued. "There's this woman named Katherine that I met briefly. She has dark powers like you wouldn't believe, but she uses them to catch criminals."