City of Magic: The Complete Series by Helen Harper (book club recommendations TXT) 📕

is he? I don’t see him here. When that bell rings, aren’t you all supposed to come running?’ Barrett waved his hands at the crowd that was growing behind us. ‘All these people are here. Where is Julian?’

I glanced about me. I saw many familiar faces, including Cath, Jodie, Lizzy and even Julie. There was no sign of Julian.

‘You were with him,’ I said urgently to Monroe. ‘Where is he? Where did he go?’

‘You’re not suggesting that…’

I grabbed him. ‘No.’ My eyes bored into his. ‘I know he’s not. But we need to be able to prove that and prove it quickly.’

He gave a terse nod. Fabian Barrett had the upper hand but what the wanker hadn’t appreciated was that Julian was just about the only one fighting his corner behind the scenes. He might have challenged Barrett during his speech, but he’d been advising caution. Julian wasn’t the person that Fab Barrett should have been accusing.

‘It was him,’ Barrett spat, ‘and you know it.’ He flung his arms towards the small rent in the tent. ‘Not only that, but he deliberately shot at our tent. If we’d not still been wearing our hazmat suits, we’d be as contaminated as you. We wouldn’t be able to leave Manchester and organise more supplies. We’d be stuck in here starving to death with you, or outside in quarantine unable to do a thing.’

How convenient that they’d not taken off their suits, I thought sourly. All the same, I noted the shock on the faces of many of those around us.

‘Julian didn’t want me to help you out! He didn’t want me to bring in food so he decided to attack instead!’ Barrett shouted.

‘You’re a fucking liar,’ Monroe said. He said it quietly but I could feel his rage. He was close to the edge. Then again, so was I.

‘Julian took our guns and put them in his safe,’ Barrett sneered. ‘So unless you also had access to that safe, then this is on him.’

I stepped forward, glaring at him. ‘You could have brought more guns in when you returned.’

‘We were searched by your fucking welcoming party! We brought in nothing of the sort. And if you’re trying to suggest that I put a bullet into the heart of one of my own men…’

That was exactly what I was suggesting and he knew it. In fact, I’d bet that the first shot came from inside the tent rather than from outside. That’s why there were two shots; that’s why there was a bullet hole in the tent’s fabric.

‘You’re sure that you don’t know where the shots came from?’ I ground out to Theo and Felicity.

‘All I know is that they came from behind.’ Felicity raised her chin. ‘Actually, that’s not true.’ She stared hard at Barrett. ‘I also know that Julian wasn’t responsible.’

‘Then,’ Barrett said, with a pointed gesture, ‘let’s find him and talk to him.’

‘He was going home,’ Monroe muttered. ‘He left the town hall and headed home to get some time to think and talk to his pack. He was inside the fucking enclave.’

Theo coughed delicately. ‘No, he wasn’t.’

We both turned and stared at him. He offered us a wounded, helpless shrug. ‘About fifteen minutes before the guard walked out, Julian walked out too.’

‘At this hour?’ Monroe snapped. ‘In the dark?’

‘Did he say where he was going?’ I demanded.

Theo held up his hands, palms outwards. ‘He said he wouldn’t be long. Felicity tried to stop him but…’

She swallowed and nodded. ‘He insisted. It’s not our place to stop him from leaving if he wants to.’

I clenched my fists and rounded on Barrett. ‘You lured him out, didn’t you?’

‘Don’t be so bloody ridiculous! I’ve been in that tent for hours.’

I raised a disbelieving eyebrow. ‘Without taking off your hazmat suit? Really?’

‘I was about to go for a walk,’ he returned. ‘That doesn’t make me a murderer. I’m growing tired of your accusations. Let’s find Julian and see what he has to say for himself then we’ll get to the truth of the matter.’

One of Barrett’s other guards, who had remained pointedly silent, stepped up. ‘He ran off in that direction.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘I’ll bet he did.’

Julian’s pack moved forward as if they were one. Nero, one of the younger werewolves, drew back his shoulders. ‘He is our alpha and we will find him. He did not do this. But we will find him.’

‘No.’ Monroe crossed his arms, his expression stony. ‘We will not risk an entire pack. I can track him on my own.’ He pointed at Barrett and the other guards. ‘You keep an eye on the wanker squad. Don’t let any of them leave.’

‘You can’t treat us like prisoners,’ Barrett spluttered.

‘Oh yes, we can.’ Monroe looked at me. ‘I will find Julian.’

‘I’m coming too,’ I said.

‘No, you’re not.’

‘Yes,’ I said simply. ‘I am. Protect Julian’s pack all you like but you’re not protecting me. You need me. You need my magic.’

I thought he was going to continue to argue but he just sighed. ‘Fine. Don’t get yourself fucking killed.’

I curtsied. ‘Same back to you.’

Barrett cursed loudly. ‘Screw this. I’m taking the body of my man and going back to my tent.’ He turned on his heel, leaving his guards to take hold of Boyce’s body. Not one of them looked in our direction as they picked up their fallen comrade. There weren’t any accusing looks or directed comments; either they were remarkably well trained or they knew that Boyce wasn’t dead because of us.

Monroe jabbed his finger at Nero. ‘Not one of those fuckers leaves that tent. You hear me?’

The young wolf nodded. ‘You have my word.’

Monroe turned to me. ‘You know we’re probably walking into a trap, right?’

I met his gaze. ‘There’s no probably about it.’ I set my chin decisively. ‘Let’s go.’

Chapter Twenty-Five

‘Boyce really did that?’ Monroe asked as we jogged down the desolate, silent street.

‘He did. And less than ten minutes later, he was dead.’

For a long moment Monroe didn’t answer as he wrestled with