Page 90 of Dark Witch Resurrection

She'd tried not to let it get under her skin, but it was hard. Back in the compound, Borga had been at the top of the so-called food chain and Marina at the bottom, but here in the village they were supposed to be equal, and Marina hadn't expected to be subjected to that crap, nor was she willing to just roll over and let Borga stomp all over her.

She wanted to fight back, but she didn't know how.

"You're quiet this morning," Peter said as he slid a plate of a delicious-looking omelet and toast in front of her. "Everything okay?"

Marina sighed, setting her mug down and running a hand through her hair. "Not really," she admitted. "I had a run-in with Borga yesterday at the café."

Peter frowned. "Borga? Pavel's mother?"

Marina nodded. "She came into the café and tried hard to get under my skin. She used to taunt me in the compound, too, but I wasn't mentally ready for it in the village, and it did get under my skin."

Peter's eyes blazed with inner light. "What did she say?"

Marina shrugged. "She threw around comments about wanting me to clean her house and then also about our relationship. She had the nerve to bring you into it and suggest I was just using you to get ahead."

Peter's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with anger. "Nasty person."

"She is, but she's just saying what others are thinking. I was a maid all my adult life, first in the compound, then in Safe Haven, and even on the Silver Swan. I've been a barista for less than a week." Marina picked at the omelet with her fork. "People also wonder what you could possibly see in someone like me."

Peter reached across the table and took her hand. "I don't care what anyone else thinks. I love you, and I want you in my life. Nothing and no one can change that. Not that I think anyone other than Borga has a problem with you. Even my mother has warmed to us being together, and she asks about you every time I call."

A lump formed in her throat. "I love you too."

Peter's mother probably wanted to hear him say they had broken up, but Marina kept that to herself. It was good that the woman was in Scotland, and she didn't have to deal with her every day.

His lips quirked in a smile. "Borga and anyone else who has a problem with us being together can go to hell. They are not worth your energy."

Forcing a smile, Marina nodded. "You're right."

Peter grinned. "That's my girl." He leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. "I'll talk to Kagra about Borga. She will put her in her place."

Marina didn't want him talking to his ex, not about Borga or anything else. "I'd rather put this episode behind me and pretend it never happened."

Peter leaned back in his chair. "I don't think that's smart. Borga didn't make trouble before, and suddenly she's allowing herself to be rude to a community member right as a slew of things start happening that have never happened before."

"Like what?"

"Theft. Packages are being stolen from the mailroom, shutters are malfunctioning, and yesterday, one of the trash incinerators broke down. Those things are built to last forever. There is no way it malfunctioned without someone doing something deliberately to sabotage it."

"I don't think the incidents are connected to Borga, but I'm not a Guardian. You have experience with stuff like that."

"Not really," he admitted. "This is the first time we've had things stolen in the village. No one even bothers locking their doors, and unless things start going missing from inside homes, they'll continue leaving them unlocked. But before I call Kagra, let's finish breakfast."

Talking about Borga and Kagra was enough for Marina to lose her appetite, but she made an effort to take a few more forkfuls before pushing the plate away.

"Okay. Let's do it." Peter reached for his phone, his fingers flying over the screen as he texted Kagra.

Once he was done and hit send, the reply didn't take long to arrive. "She's on her way. She wants to get all the details straight from you." Marina swallowed.

She hadn't seen Kagra since their community had been divided between Safe Haven and the village, but that wasn't why she was apprehensive about meeting the female.

What if she also made derisory comments about her former boyfriend shacking up with a human?

When a few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door, Marina tensed. Peter gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before rising to answer it.

"Good morning." Kagra walked in like she owned the place. "Long time no see, Marina." She nodded at her. "Looking good."

Did she mean that Marina looked good, or was she referring to Peter's house being in a much better state than it had been when the two of them were together?