Chapter 29
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Thank the gods for those drops. I woke up a little dehydrated but no worse for the wear.
“Oh shit,” I muttered once my eyes focused. “Where’s Moira?”
Rowan pressed a warm kiss to my bare shoulder. “Home. I gave Ethan some of the drops before we went to the bar. Whether he gave them to Moira remains to be seen.”
Evie snickered. “She was furious.”
“Mmm,” he agreed.
“She won’t forgive him.”
Rowan popped his head up and peered at me. “I know she’s your best friend, but her behavior last night was destructive.”
I tilted my head and studied Rowan, suppressing the flash of anger I felt at his judgment. “How so?”
“Kelton is a known player around the Keep. Nothing would have come of those two getting together.”
“Who said Moira wanted anything to come out of it? How is she being destructive? If Kelton is known around the Keep, then women who live here know what they’re getting into when they engage him.
Moira isn’t stupid. She’s older than I am by a substantial amount, and she’s single.
Hopelessly so. If she wants to find a distraction, she’s entitled to do so.
If anyone comes out of this hurt, I can almost guarantee you it wouldn’t be Moira. ”
Rowan blinked. “I—” His lips pressed together. “Damn. I made a snap judgment, didn’t I?”
My eyebrows rose. “Sure did, buddy.”
Rowan snorted. “I apologize. I forget Moira isn’t young. I assumed I knew her when I don’t.”
Even someone like Rowan was prone to making snap judgments when it came to women, but the mark of a good man was knowing when to apologize. My anger faded away, replaced by my worry for Moira.
“If anyone can hurt her, it’s Ethan.” And that’s what I was worried about most. She liked him far more than what was good for her.
But…it sure seemed like Ethan had more interest in her than he should, too. I was dying to know what happened, but it would have to wait for a while. My stomach was growling, and I had a handsome, irresistible gentleman who refused to satisfy me last night because of how much I’d drunk.
I rolled over on top of him. “Stop talking,” I commanded.
“As you wish,” Rowan drawled, his hands already moving.
Moira showed up a few hours later, bleary-eyed and grumpy. Rowan made himself scarce, giving me a meaningful wink before he sailed out the door.
She sank into one of the new kitchen chairs. “Coffee,” she croaked.
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing and poured us both a cup. “Want a grilled cheese?” I asked.
Moira grimaced. “Not right now.” She curled her fingers around the mug. “Ethan left a little while ago.”
My eyebrows rose. I checked my cell phone. “This late?”
She nodded and glared at my look. “Nothing like that. The asshole did a deep dive background check on me and wanted to share what he found.”
I sat back in my chair and exhaled. “Shit,” I breathed. Moira refused to tell me what she used to do for work, only saying it was “investigative” in nature. “How deep?”
Moira grunted. “He doesn’t know everything, but he knows enough.” She scrubbed a hand over her face. “He wants me to work for him.”
I stilled. “You work at the flower shop.” A pause. “When it’s open.” I grimaced. I had to get back to work soon. There were only a few more things to do before we could officially open up shop again.
“Part-time.” She sighed. “He offered me a shit ton of money.”
Warning bells went off in my head. “Be careful. That’s exactly how things started with Caelan.”
A vicious smile crossed her face. “No need to worry about that. This morning, he went into great detail about what a terrible person I was and how much he hated me.”
I didn’t miss the flicker of hurt in her eyes. Anger flooded me.
She touched my arm. “It’s fine.”
Magic rose, prickling against my skin.
“Evie.” Her cool hand touched my arm. “I’m an adult.
He didn’t do anything to me. In fact, the bastard was a perfect gentleman.
” She rolled her eyes. “He brought me back to my apartment. Dug out pajamas for me. Gave me plenty of water and lectured me about hydration, then tucked me into bed and slept on the couch. This morning, he made me a cup of coffee, then pushed a folder full of my past across the table.”
But he didn’t give her the drops. Hmm. “None of that excuses him trying to manipulate you into doing what he wants.”
“Are we surprised? He’s a Lord, after all. You seem to have snagged the only good one.”
“Ben’s decent.” I frowned. “A touch of the ol’ misogyny with him, but I don’t think he would do something like this.”
Moira grunted. “I don’t put anything past anyone.”
“What did you tell him?”
She tilted her face up and pretended to think about it. “It went something like, how dare you, fuck off, get out of my house.”
“Seems like the correct order of things. He won’t stop.”
Her face darkened. “I’m well aware.”
“What kind of work has he asked you to do?”
“Investigative again. He said he’d have a case soon.” Her shoulders slumped. “I flew too close to the sun and the asshole burned me. I should have kept my head down.”
“You did,” I said quietly. “If anyone is at fault here, it’s me. I’m the one who dragged you into the Lords’ world. Soren’s already fascinated by you, and Ethan seems headed that way.”
Moira shook her head. “It’s not like that for Ethan. He sees a tool to be used.”
I didn’t agree with her. Not after that smack on the ass. That was raw possession. “Hmm. I don’t think most men would haul a tool over his shoulder and remove her from a bar for her own safety.” I rolled my eyes. “Or what he thought was for her own safety.”
Her lips twitched. “Kinda hot, right?”
“Extremely,” I agreed. “That ass slap was heard around the world.”
Moira let out a loud laugh. “I have an Ethan shaped handprint on my left cheek.”
“All the Lords are attractive.” I rolled my eyes. “Must be a job prerequisite. All of them are deadly, but there’s something about Ethan.” I shivered. “He has assassin energy, the kind of man who will sneak up on you and cut your throat without saying a word.”
“He’s a puzzle,” Moira agreed. “He brought me cashmere and hot food, and now he’s blackmailing me.”
We looked at each other and burst out laughing.
I got up and brought the coffee pot to the table, refilling our mugs. “Are you going to work for him?”
She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “The money is hard to pass up. I’m doing well, but Ethan’s offer will allow me to permanently retire in a couple of years.
Most immortals have to work for the rest of their lives because they spend too much and budget too little.
I could probably retire now, but I’d have to follow a strict budget.
With the money he’s offering me…” Her voice trailed off.
“Well, I could do whatever the hell I wanted to.”
“Immortality might be boring without something to do.”
Moira snorted. “Holding a pink drink with an umbrella and flirting with handsome men is doing something. I could do that all I wanted.”
Retirement had never crossed my mind, not for myself.
What would I do with myself? Probably get into trouble.
There’d be no flirting with handsome men or the like.
Not that I wanted to. I had all I wanted outside, giving me some privacy.
Seeing the world was appealing, but Rowan was still a Lord.
And soon, I’d take up my mantle as the fae queen. Our time for fun would be limited.
“You’re smart enough to think through all the pitfalls of accepting Ethan’s offer. I recommend putting a time limit on things and a clause where you can bow out for specific reasons. If he wants you bad enough, he’ll be forced to agree.”
Moira’s lips twisted. “There’s some wiggle room, but not much.”
I didn’t ask. He obviously had something on her if he was twisting her arm. “See how far he’s willing to bend.”
“I have a few weeks to decide.”
“Enough time to figure out an easy out if things get dicey.”
Moira’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I know you don’t want me to do this.”
I released a heavy breath. “The situation reminds me too much of Caelan. Ethan is charismatic, I’ll give you that, but you two seem like gasoline and a match together.”
“I’ll insist on professional boundaries. Shouldn’t be a big deal since he dislikes me so much.” Her lips twisted.
“I don’t think that’s true,” I said quietly.
I went to the fridge and took a small bottle out, passing it across the table. “Take a dropper full. You’ll feel better in a few hours.”
Moira snatched the bottle like it was the Holy Grail.
“Mom is an evil genius.”
She grimaced as she swallowed the drops. “I had a ton of fun last night. The entire Keep is talking about your arm-wrestling stunt.”
I grinned. “Probably a good thing Mom’s booze is a relatively new invention. The world might be an entirely different place if we had that stuff around the entire time.”
We chatted for a little while longer and planned to go see the baby in a few hours. I had a session with Dad today. We were still trying to nail the instant travel thing. I still felt only tingles and hadn’t budged an inch.
I waved as Moira let herself out. Rowan came back in a few minutes later and helped himself to the rest of the coffee.
“Moira all right?” he asked.
“Ethan wants her to work for him.”
Rowan choked on his drink. “What?”
“I know. It’s a lot. He did a background check on her, one of the kinds that digs too deep for comfort and uncovered some things about her he’s using to strong-arm Moira into doing what he wants.”
Rowan closed his eyes for a long moment. “These Lords never learn, do they?”
A surprised laugh bubbled from my lips. “No, they really don’t.” My amusement soured a moment later. “This reminds me too much of what happened to me. Moira is probably a little less naive than I am, but I don’t want her to have to deal with the things I had to.”
Rowan’s face turned thoughtful. “Ethan and Caelan are completely different. I think he brings his own unique set of issues to the table.”
I gave him a dark look. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”
Rowan grinned. “Moira isn’t as nice as you are.”
My eyebrows lifted, making Rowan laugh. “I’m serious! You’d never get hauled out of a bar screaming bloody murder.”
“No, I just arm wrestle massive shifters and make dangerous bets.”
Rowan laughed, his eyes sparkling. “You’re a hit, by the way. The entire Keep is talking about you and Ricky.”
I groaned. “He challenged me, and I had a few too many to say no.”
“The bar called earlier and said, ‘get these mutant Ficus trees out of here before I start charging them rent.’ So, I have to go back to the bar around lunch.”
“Oops. I had to use them, otherwise it wouldn’t have been a fair fight.”
“Yes, well, we owe the bar some plants.”
“I’ll bring them something in a few days.”
At his exasperated look, I clarified. “Something tame. Like a pothos or a money tree. And I’ll promise not to borrow them again.”
His lips twitched. “She’s not mad. You brought in more money last night than she made the entire past week.
But she draws the line at sentient plants.
” Rowan winked. “Give her some time, and I bet she’ll change her mind.
This place isn’t used to having a Floromancer around, and certainly not one at your power level. ”
“I can’t say I plan on any more arm-wrestling competitions,” I said dryly. “But I also can’t promise that will never happen again.”
“That’s my girl,” Rowan said.
A few hours later, Dad was yelling at me, and I was sweating buckets.
“Dad! This is not Star Trek! I cannot just pop out of existence the second I want to!”
My father looked like he was about to blow a gasket. “Yes, you can,” he said with barely concealed patience. “I’ve been trying to teach you that for weeks now.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You are the master of your magic. You are the one who shapes and wills the power. Get out of your head, Evie. Once that happens, your power will be fathomless.”
I choked down a scream of frustration. “Why can’t I get this?”
“Fear,” Dad said simply. “You’re letting your human understanding cloud your ability.
We are not made of DNA and atoms, Evie. We’re infinite.
When you understand that, you don’t have to understand magic.
You mold your power into whatever you want it to be.
The Floromancy and Chimera are extensions of the vast well of your other powers, the magic your mother and I gifted you upon our joining. ”
My nose crinkled. “Please never refer to you and Mom having sex as joining ever again.”
On the sidelines of the training field, Rowan barked a laugh.
Dad waved my disgust away. “Evangeline, you cannot act as the fae queen until you learn how to access the rest of your power. When that self-imposed block fades away, you will be infinite. Until that happens, you are diminished, and your enemies will know right now is the perfect time to strike. Your mother and I cannot always be there. You must learn how to turn off that human part of your brain and realize the only limitations you have are the ones you set for yourself.”
“I hate it when you’re reasonable,” I muttered.
Dad rolled his eyes. “Yes, well, when you’re involved, being reasonable is difficult.”
“Dad! Rude.”
The wards tingled against my skin. Rowan rose and walked toward the disruption.
Dad stepped closer. “You must defeat your mind. Enemies press in from all sides. Do not let yourself get complacent.”
I stopped what I was doing. “Do you know something we don’t?”
Dad shrugged. “Enemies are a natural part of belonging to a powerful position, but you are uniquely suited to having more than normal.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Dad.”
Rowan came up over the rise, his face a mask of politeness.
Barrett walked beside him.