Winter Fire (The Witchling #3)(45)

An awkward silence fell. Noah shifted, and Beck waited, at ease despite the situation.

“Look, I, uh, just wanted to talk about my sister for a minute.”

Beck nodded and crossed his arms.

“She doesn’t know I’m here, and our parents would kill me for telling you this,” Noah started. “I guess I’m hoping … I don’t know. Anyway, I spent the past year working on Dad’s board. The company is a disaster right now. Hemorrhaging money, borrowing money, losing money … it’s always about money.” Noah paused then shook his head.

“I did an internship with my dad’s company two summers ago. Definitely not my thing,” Beck agreed.

“Not my thing, either, but it’s the family business. I think you get that.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, mind on the magick Master titles he and Decker inherited.

“I don’t know how else to say this, but Dad is broke. The company is about to file for bankruptcy, which means his assets will be frozen,” Noah continued. “Which, in turn, means –“

“The court issues between Dawn and me are at risk.”

“I’m excited about being an uncle,” Noah said. “My sister is a little crazy, but she doesn’t deserve to have her daughter taken away from her. I wanted to ask you if you’d consider working out an agreement outside of court -- joint custody.”

Beck listened. His decision was already made; he’d never leave his daughter with Dawn. Noah had no idea what his sister had done. Beck didn’t fault him for wanting to make things fair. If anything, it showed that someone in their family had a good head on his shoulders.

“Or put things on hold, until we’re solvent again,” Noah added at his silence.

“That could be years,” Beck said.

“We have a plan and an investor who will buy us out, if we liquidate everything. It’ll take a year, if things go well.”

His daughter would be born in four months. She didn’t have a year.

“I’ve always respected you and your family, Noah. But I can’t do that,” Beck said slowly. “I’m sorry.”

Noah stared at him hard. “That’s it? You’ll just take her baby away?”

“I don’t have any other choice.”

“Is this because you’re angry at her? Revenge for whatever happened between you?” Noah’s voice rose.

“Nothing like that,” Beck said. “I have an obligation to protect witchlings, including my daughter.”

“And Dawn? She’s just screwed?”

“Noah,” Beck paused. If ever he needed to be careful choosing his words, it was now. “Some things happened while you were gone that prevent me from dealing with this any differently. I’m not doing this for revenge. This has nothing to do with how I feel about your sister. I don’t want to take her baby away. But, I have a responsibility as the Master of Light, and I can’t overlook what Dawn has done. She crossed a line that I can’t ignore.”

Noah’s face grew pink, and his blue eyes shot fire. But he drew a deep breath.

“Is this about Tanya? Because Dawn said it was meant to be a joke,” Noah pursued. “You can’t hold an accident against her!”

“It’s partially about Tanya and partially what happened to make Dawn choose Dark. Tanya wasn’t an accident,” Beck replied calmly.

“How do you know? Are you just assuming the worst about my sister, because you’re upset with her?”

“I know, because one of my gifts as the Master of Light is the ability to see the memories of Light witchlings who died,” Beck replied with patience. “I know exactly what happened. I know it can happen again. I found Tanya’s body, Noah. I’m not going to risk that the next girl I find is my daughter.”

Noah appeared taken aback.

“I’m sorry. I appreciate you coming to me, but I can’t and won’t change my mind.”

Dawn’s brother said nothing. With jerky movements, he yanked on his helmet. Beck stood back as the angry water witchling released the kickstand and started the motorcycle. Noah left fast, gravel spitting from the back tire of his bike.

“He’s a good brother,” Morgan’s quiet voice came from behind him.

Concentrated on Noah, Beck hadn’t heard her approach. He faced her, saddened by the interaction.

“Yeah, he is,” he said. “You have a way of sneaking up on me.”

“Just making sure no one else does.”

Beck laughed. She was so serious about protecting him. Morgan watched him closely.

“You need to stay on the Light Campus,” he said with mock sternness.

She lifted an eyebrow at him then held out her hand. He saw the small flame. She sensed when he needed the comfort only she seemed able to create. Beck took it. It left him feeling energized and cheerful.

“Now, back to campus,” he ordered.

“You’re a good person, Beck,” she said.

“So are you,” he replied. He started back towards the schoolhouse, nudging her arm as he passed. “Did you overhear everything?”

“Yeah.”

He waited for her to say something. Did she think he was mean for wanting to take away Dawn’s baby? Had her impression of him as being a good Master of Light changed?