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mean something. Like, I had to protect her. I was going to protect her.
    “Yeah,” I said, trying to act like it didn’t matter and failing. “But he won’t be enough. We need all the help we can get before they really get pissed off.”
    “No doubt they’re already really pissed off, but whatever you say,” said Jar. “If you need help, let me know.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Help with what? Fighting off witches or getting girls?”
    Jar laughed. “I’m pretty sure you’d have the second one covered of you wanted to.”
    I didn’t respond to that, but Jar didn’t expect me to. Jar knew what his best friend wanted, what he had always wanted. It was an unfortunate fact that no one else but Nat would do.
    “When are you going to tell her?” Jar asked.
    I gave him an inscrutable look. “I have to see her a bit more first, then I’ll know.”
    Jar agreed. “Well, I have permission to drive you and Eric there.”
    “WHAT?” I exploded, throwing the handful of t-shirts I was holding up in the air so that they fell in a heap on the floor. “You’ve GOT to be kidding me.”
    Without waiting for Jar’s answer I released a string of expletives that would have made hardened criminals blush.
    “Why would he be going?” I asked dangerously, glaring at Jar.
    My friend held up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey man, don’t shoot the messenger.”
    I scowled. “Sorry, but that’s ridiculous. He’s friends with your sister.” I tried not to spit out the words, but Gretchen just provoked rage in me.
    “I’m friends with my sister, too,” Jar pointed out.
    “No,” I argued as I started to pick up the mess I had just made. “You’re related to her. Nothing to be done about it. That’s different. Stop avoiding my question. WHY is Eric going?”
    “He’s going,” said Jar, “because you just said you’ll need all the help you can get. He’s experienced and he can blend in with humans. He’ll take care of things while you do the whole pretending to be a student bit. He’s necessary. You need a Watchful, too. Sometimes you forget how important you are to the Silves.”
    “I’ve never forgotten,” I said bitterly. “I just don’t care.”
    I was seething. “He’s going to mess everything up. He’s never been in favor of our protecting Natalie. He’s just going to cause trouble.”
    “I don’t need to be in favor of it to do a good job,” said a light male voice from behind Jar. A tall man with bright red hair, freckles, and gray eyes stepped into the room. He looked to be about forty.
    “I’m going to pretend to be your uncle,” Eric explained. “We live together and I take care of things while you go to school. It will be almost like it is now, except that you’ll actually have to listen to me. Someone has to try and control you. You’ve been allowed to run wild for years.”
    “No chance,” I said. “That will never happen and it’s not your place to speak of how I was raised.” As my Watchful he wasn’t in charge of me, he was hired to protect me. But Eric didn’t understand the difference.
    Eric’s face soured, even though he had surely been expecting a response like that.
    “Look, I don’t like this any more than you do,” he said, “but we might as well make the best of it and try to keep her safe. Isn’t that what everyone wants?”
    “Since when is that what you want?” I demanded. Jar had moved into the room and was lounging on a chair. Jar could have been a professional lounger if there had been such a thing.
    Eric’s eyes got colder and he straightened his shoulders. “I will do and have always been prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the Silves safe. Do not question my loyalty to the unicorns,” he snapped. Before I could reply, he spun on his heel and disappeared down the hallway, calling over his shoulder, “I expect to see you at the car in five minutes.”
    Jar slid further into the chair, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head.
    I