It was now March, and there were signs of spring everywhere. Early daffodils nodded at the base of hedgerows, and crocuses peaked from borders. Here, on the hills that surrounded White Haven, the fields and moors were fresh with green growth, and it soothed his soul. The courtyard was clean, and Eli—at least he presumed it was Eli—had been planting and tidying up the drive and courtyard. The house was clean and quiet, and it welcomed him. And, he thought, inhaling the scent of spiced meats, Niel was home and in the kitchen.
It hadn’t been an easy week. Returning the captive women to their homes had been satisfying but traumatic. There were times when he felt ashamed to be a man, but it was done now. Oz, Nibal, Dorian, Samir, Habib, and Jibril, were fresh on their quest to end The Brotherhood for good. He had taken to calling them the House of Ozan. Oz was their undoubted leader, and they seemed to have forged a new strength together after the end of the House of Belial. They had all sustained injuries, some of them quite bad, but like all Nephilim, they healed quickly. Their mental injuries would no doubt take longer.
Ash nudged Gabe as he entered the hall behind him, carrying his bags. “Get on with it, Gabe.”
“Sorry. Lost in my thoughts for a moment.”
“Glad to be home?”
“Very.”
Shadow followed Ash inside, silent as usual. She poked him. “I can’t wait to tease Niel.”
Gabe smiled. Shadow, as always, had rebounded from their situation with her usual ebullience. If it wasn’t for her stubbornness, he might not be here. “After you, madam.”
She kissed his cheek and wiggled her hips as she sashayed up the hall. She tossed her hair as she looked back over her shoulder at him and Ash. “I believe I won the bet, too! I haven’t forgotten.”
She meant the bet on Niel and Mouse. Gabe grinned as he and Ash followed her. “Some things never change.”
Niel was surrounded by food when they entered the kitchen—bowls of salads, platters of breads, sweetmeats, and other delicacies. He looked up as they entered, a smile spreading across his face. “You’re here already! I thought you’d be hours yet!”
“We caught an early flight,” Ash explained. “Niel, you’ve outdone yourself.”
“Well, it’s going to be the first time we’ve all been together in months. It’s a proper Middle Eastern celebration. And,” he nodded to the fridge, “we’ve stocked up on champagne, too. I don’t believe that we've all toasted to our newfound wealth yet.”
“Or,” Shadow said, “your successful liaison with Mouse.”
He refused to be rattled by her double entendre. “Her name is Anouk. Mouse is her professional name.”
“Oh. So nice you know details now.”
He grinned. “Isn’t it?”
“Hold on,” Gabe said, confused. “What do you mean, we’re all here?”
“Barak arrived last night, and Nahum this morning.” He smiled at Gabe’s confusion. “Barak came back from Estelle’s place and Nahum has decided Olivia can cope alone in London—for a short while, at least. They’re out there.”
Gabe looked out of the window and gasped. “The loggia’s been repaired.”
“That’s down to Eli and Zee. They’re out there, too.”
Gabe dumped his bag in the hall and headed out of the back door, Shadow already peppering Niel with questions about Anouk. His brothers were all seated around the table, and the barbeque was smoking. The scent of Arabic coffee came from the pot on the table.
Nahum stood and hugged him. “Good to see you, brother.”
“You, too. Everything okay with Olivia?”
“More than okay.”
Nahum was composed, always level-headed, but today he had an elevated level of calm and contentment that Gabe hadn’t seen for a long time. “Good. You’ll be going back, though?”
“Yes. I have to. I want to. But that’s for another time. Today, I wanted to be here with everyone.”
He and Ash greeted the others and Gabe settled at the table, looking forward to catching up with everyone’s news, but a strange mix of sadness was tinged with it, too.
Change was coming for all of them. He may as well embrace it.
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