victory. I’m going to tell Ysandra the truth. I have her card with her phone number. I’ll call her tomorrow and talk to her.”
Wrath stood. “I can take word to them. They are not always grateful to see the Fae, but they have never turned on us. I can fly there in my owl form.”
“No—we need you here.” I was worried. I’d just found my father, I didn’t want to lose him.
“You forget, my dear. I am King of Summer. King of the Court of Rivers and Rushes. I have many tricks up my sleeve.” He took my hand and pulled me to my feet. I leaned against him and he hugged me.
Warm, paternal, caring.
He would never be the suburban father I’d imagined, buthe was
my
father and he cared about me, and that’s all that mattered.
“I know. But don’t go. Please stay with us.”
“Very well. If you wish it.”
I turned to the others. “I want you all to know that whatever happens with the Consortium, happens. I’m not going to let our panic create a tangle of lies. There are a few things I’d rather not tell them, but I’m done with lying.”
“I think you’re making the right choice.” Luna gave me a sheepish smile. “They have so many ways to pick up on liars…”
Kaylin flashed her a quiet look, then shrugged. “As you will. But I still think we could pull it off.” Another sly grin, but I knew he was teasing.
“Truth is our best approach. Hopefully, we won’t look like total idiots.” I was regretting ever following Kaylin’s advice, but it had seemed the best way to hide the fact that Heather had been kidnapped. And at the time we didn’t dare tell them about Myst—we weren’t clear on who we could trust with the knowledge. Now that we knew we couldn’t deal with the Mistress of Mayhem by ourselves, we might as well admit it.
Kaylin finished spreading out the herbs and began sorting them into piles. Luna joined him.
“We need more supplies.” He held up a bag of dried leaves, squinting at it. “Is this mugwort or vervain?”
“Vervain, I think.” Luna joined him at the table, helping to separate the herbs.
“Thanks, Luna. You know, I think that tomorrow, we should sneak out of town, over to Monroe, and see what we can find. We’ll have to take my car. Your GTO is too recognizable, Cicely. I don’t want to be run off the road.”
“You don’t believe the Shadow Hunters would try that, do you? They don’t work with technology. I doubt if they can even get into a car, let alone drive one.” I picked up a couple of the bags containing woven garlic charms. “Maybe I should wear a strand of this while I sleep to keep Lannan out of my bed.”
“Not such a good idea.” Lannan interrupted, entering the room again.
I whirled around, blushing. I’d been joking, at least partially, but Lannan might not see it that way.
But he simply shook his head, and added, “While the Shadow Hunters may not try to run you off the road, Geoffrey might. If he even suspects you’re going to the Consortium for help, chances are he’ll try to stop you. He wants this war all to himself.”
“I had him pegged all wrong, didn’t I?” I’d thought Geoffrey the most reasonable of the vampires. But that theory had been shot to hell.
“What about me? Do you think you pegged me wrong?” Lannan cocked his head, flirting.
I glanced over at Grieve. “No, I think I’ve got your number down pat. Here, have a necklace.” I tossed the garlic charm his way but Kaylin caught it midair and pocketed it.
“What was that?” Lannan stepped forward.
“Nothing, just a stupid impulse,” Kaylin said. “Ignore her. She’s tired.”
“I see.” Lannan continued to stare at me.
I decided that retreat was my best ally. “I’m going to sleep. We’ll talk more in the morning. Grieve, join me, my love?” I’d been an idiot. Sassing Lannan was one thing. If he was in a good mood, he’d overlook it. But actively throwing a garlic charm at him? Stupid beyond the max. I could only chalk it up to
Wrath stood. “I can take word to them. They are not always grateful to see the Fae, but they have never turned on us. I can fly there in my owl form.”
“No—we need you here.” I was worried. I’d just found my father, I didn’t want to lose him.
“You forget, my dear. I am King of Summer. King of the Court of Rivers and Rushes. I have many tricks up my sleeve.” He took my hand and pulled me to my feet. I leaned against him and he hugged me.
Warm, paternal, caring.
He would never be the suburban father I’d imagined, buthe was
my
father and he cared about me, and that’s all that mattered.
“I know. But don’t go. Please stay with us.”
“Very well. If you wish it.”
I turned to the others. “I want you all to know that whatever happens with the Consortium, happens. I’m not going to let our panic create a tangle of lies. There are a few things I’d rather not tell them, but I’m done with lying.”
“I think you’re making the right choice.” Luna gave me a sheepish smile. “They have so many ways to pick up on liars…”
Kaylin flashed her a quiet look, then shrugged. “As you will. But I still think we could pull it off.” Another sly grin, but I knew he was teasing.
“Truth is our best approach. Hopefully, we won’t look like total idiots.” I was regretting ever following Kaylin’s advice, but it had seemed the best way to hide the fact that Heather had been kidnapped. And at the time we didn’t dare tell them about Myst—we weren’t clear on who we could trust with the knowledge. Now that we knew we couldn’t deal with the Mistress of Mayhem by ourselves, we might as well admit it.
Kaylin finished spreading out the herbs and began sorting them into piles. Luna joined him.
“We need more supplies.” He held up a bag of dried leaves, squinting at it. “Is this mugwort or vervain?”
“Vervain, I think.” Luna joined him at the table, helping to separate the herbs.
“Thanks, Luna. You know, I think that tomorrow, we should sneak out of town, over to Monroe, and see what we can find. We’ll have to take my car. Your GTO is too recognizable, Cicely. I don’t want to be run off the road.”
“You don’t believe the Shadow Hunters would try that, do you? They don’t work with technology. I doubt if they can even get into a car, let alone drive one.” I picked up a couple of the bags containing woven garlic charms. “Maybe I should wear a strand of this while I sleep to keep Lannan out of my bed.”
“Not such a good idea.” Lannan interrupted, entering the room again.
I whirled around, blushing. I’d been joking, at least partially, but Lannan might not see it that way.
But he simply shook his head, and added, “While the Shadow Hunters may not try to run you off the road, Geoffrey might. If he even suspects you’re going to the Consortium for help, chances are he’ll try to stop you. He wants this war all to himself.”
“I had him pegged all wrong, didn’t I?” I’d thought Geoffrey the most reasonable of the vampires. But that theory had been shot to hell.
“What about me? Do you think you pegged me wrong?” Lannan cocked his head, flirting.
I glanced over at Grieve. “No, I think I’ve got your number down pat. Here, have a necklace.” I tossed the garlic charm his way but Kaylin caught it midair and pocketed it.
“What was that?” Lannan stepped forward.
“Nothing, just a stupid impulse,” Kaylin said. “Ignore her. She’s tired.”
“I see.” Lannan continued to stare at me.
I decided that retreat was my best ally. “I’m going to sleep. We’ll talk more in the morning. Grieve, join me, my love?” I’d been an idiot. Sassing Lannan was one thing. If he was in a good mood, he’d overlook it. But actively throwing a garlic charm at him? Stupid beyond the max. I could only chalk it up to
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