Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Ispent most of the day in the greenhouse, doing my best to clear my head of any stress and worry over the seed and what its appearance in my life might mean. It worked, for the most part, but when the sun began to set over the horizon, all the worry crawled back into my heart.
Everyone would arrive in a couple of hours. I stomped my boots on the outdoor rug and shook out my hair and jacket before heading inside and straight to the showers.
I had a lot of spell-woven protections against ticks and other bitey things, but I could never protect against everything. Occasionally a spider or some other creature ended up hitching a ride back to the house.
After a delightful shower and a scrub that left me pink from head to toe, I dressed, leaving my hair wet for now, and went into the kitchen to start dinner.
Magic expended a lot of energy, so I planned something protein and carb heavy: chicken fried steak, homemade mac and cheese, and balsamic-glazed, roasted Brussels sprouts.
We’d eat first, then cast the spell to ward the seed until I knew its purpose and how it wished to be used.
The next hour passed in a blur. Folk rock poured from the Bluetooth speaker as I finished the last of the food prep. Everyone would be here in forty-five minutes which gave me enough time to finish drying my hair and put some magic appropriate clothing on.
Once that was finished, I went and unlocked the door for Moira, who always arrived early. I took care of some necessary plant maintenance, and when that was done, I prepped a large skillet, dipped the first steak into the egg wash and batter, and started the main course.
Ten minutes later, Moira breezed in holding a bulging canvas bag that clinked when she walked.
“We are not drinking all that tonight!” I yelled.
“Party pooper,” Moira said with a grin. The vamp wore similar clothing. Loose, flowy pants, sandals, a tank top, and a long cardigan.
I’d texted Caelan earlier to tell him. Magic required freedom in all things and restrictive clothing tended to stagnate magic. I’d put on a pair of wide-leg cotton pants, a t-shirt, and also wore sandals I could slip off. My hair was arranged in a messy bun, and I wore no makeup or jewelry.
What we planned tonight was different from the other magic I used daily. Most Floromancy was intuitive, but I had the ability to perform ritualistic spells, though I usually chose not to. Such spells required strict adherence to the rules, and I much preferred natural magic, which had few rules.
Ash spent much of the day working on the spell’s wording, and I had gathered almost all the spell’s ingredients from either the greenhouse or around the property. What I couldn’t gather, Tess had stepped up to bring.
“You ready?” Moira asked, peering over my shoulder at the bubbling steak.
“Whatever gets Cliona off my back.”
She squeezed my shoulder and claimed one of the stools to perch on. “Are you worried about what jewelry Caelan is going to bring?”
At my dark look, she grinned. “Maybe it will be a huge engagement ring.”
“Perish the thought. He knows I’d stab him.”
“I don’t think Caelan would hate that. He seems to like feisty women.”
My stomach dropped at the thought of him with any other women, and wasn’t that annoying? “Well,” I said lightly. “I’m sure there’s a lot of them in Joy Springs.”
Moira rolled her eyes. “Keep denying your feelings and you’ll lose him.”
“I don’t want him.” I flipped the steak over, pleased to see the batter turned a crispy, golden brown.
“Uh huh,” Moira said. She cracked open one of the bottles and poured us each a glass. “What’s up with Cernunnos hanging around these days?”
“No idea.” He hadn’t denied being my father, but he hadn’t confirmed either. If he was more than an annoying god hanging around, my heritage might end up being the biggest lie my mother ever told me. I’d no longer be a demi-god. I’d be something much more.
The thought of being a full god and part Chimera unsettled me.
If Cernunnos was my father, I’d be far more powerful than I ever expected.
Shaking my head, I peeked at the Brussels sprouts. Satisfied they still had some time to go, I reached for my wine glass and took a long swallow.
“He seems interested in you, and we all know it’s never a good thing when the gods start knocking.”
“I’m well aware,” I said dryly. “Having Cliona for a mother is hard to forget.”
“True.” Her dark eyes shone. “I’m worried about you Evie. That’s all. Things haven’t been right since the moment Caelan showed up in our shop. You haven’t been right.”
I took the first steak out and battered the next, smiling when the oil sizzled and bubbled when the steak hit the surface of the pan. “We’re all doing our best. You know I can’t get involved with anyone.”
Moira grunted. “I’m not sure that’s true anymore. Caelan seems willing to deal with anything when it comes to you.”
“Only because he doesn’t know about the Chimera part.”
I sank onto the stool opposite her. She looked heartbreakingly young with her bare face and ponytail. Long, pale fingers toyed with the colored, decorative knobs on her glass.
“His line is too pure to sully with Chimera DNA.”
Moira blinked. “Evie! That’s awful. Your DNA is not poisonous.”
“Everyone else won’t agree. There’s a reason the Chimera were wiped out. I might not be like them, but it won’t matter.”
Moira’s face softened. “You underestimate how much people care about you.”
I pulled the second steak out and battered the next. “You, Ash, and Tess love me. That’s all I need.”
Moira’s mouth turned down in a frown, but she changed the subject to less emotional things as I finished cooking.
Soon enough, everyone was gathered around the table, dishing out dinner.
I thought it might be strange to have the Shifter Lord there.
He’d never spent this much time in the presence of my friends, but I should have known he’d be able to fit in anywhere.
Caelan even managed to get a laugh out of Tess, which surprised all of us.
Charming, handsome, powerful…whoever landed the Lord would be a lucky woman.
Our eyes met across the table. Silence fell inside my head, all the negative thoughts falling right out when I saw how he looked at me.
If only things were different. If only I was the woman I used to be. Even after my divorce, I was wounded but still me. I would have found my way back to myself if I hadn’t gone—
Stop, I told myself. No good ever came from revisiting something I could never have again. This version of Evie was angrier, rawer, and much more powerful. She was willing to make the necessary sacrifices to protect those she loved.
And she’d never give her power to a man who wanted to cage her.
Caelan’s brow furrowed, but he remained silent, accepting the second round of Brussels sprouts Ash passed him.
When dinner was finished, Ash was the first to rise. “Should we clean up first?”
“No. I’ll take care of it later. Let’s do the spell first. The dishes will hold.”
Ash held his hand out for me. Our fingers slid against each other, our inherent power melding together.
Ash wasn’t one for grand gestures of affection, but he and I had always had an easy way with each other.
I loved him like a brother, and our magic was similar, so I always felt deeply comfortable in his presence.
He leaned closer. “Are you sure about this?”
I knew he wasn’t talking about the spell.
“Yes. Every little bit will boost the warding’s power.”
Ash nodded. “I care about you and want only the best. This spell will tie us all together in a way. Since I can’t find any examples of spells like this done in the past, it’s possible there might be complications.”
“I’m right here, you know,” Caelan said.
“I know,” Ash said, his eyes flashing emerald. His fingers tightened around mine.
I frowned up at him. “Are you okay?”
The dryad’s jaw tightened. “I only wanted to ensure you did not decide under duress.”
“When does Evie do anything under duress?” Moira drawled. She flopped onto the couch and kicked her sandals off.
Tess floated over and sank to the floor. “She’s very stubborn. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed.” She frowned up at Ash and patted the spot beside her.
His temper vanished in an instant, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I noticed.” He dragged me in for a hug, dropping a kiss on top of my head. “Sorry,” he whispered.
“All good.” I patted him on the arm and stepped away, reaching down for the small canvas bag I left by the recliner.
The coffee table was already cleared, the center taken up by a large, green pillar beeswax candle.
Ash marked each spot with a small, beaded mat.
Mine was a mix of green and browns. Tess’s was silver and white.
Ash had chosen burgundy and navy blue for Moira, which I thought was interesting—not the crimson and black I expected.
Caelan’s was an odd mix of colors, greens, golds, browns, and a deep, brilliant orange.
On top of the mats, he placed a small tea light. Next to those, a small cone of incense in matching colors. I watched him intently, curious about his method. Spell work had never been my strong suit. I was competent, but I’d never be a master at rituals and spells.
Ash took his time, ensuring everything was in its place, and none of us spoke as he worked. Caelan stood beside me, heat pulsing from his body.
“Lord,” Ash said. “Do you have the jewelry?”
“Caelan, please.” He pulled a small leather pouch from his pocket and handed it to Ash.
The dryad’s brows went up. He let out a low whistle and tipped the contents of the pouch into his palm. “Where did this come from?”
Ash held up the pendant. Warm gold sparked in the light. At the bottom hung a small, elegant pendant made of gold woven in an intricate pattern. A gleaming black obsidian stone hung suspended in the center. Soft magic pulsed from the stone, a gentle, calming power.
“It belonged to one of our shifter queens and was given to her by a powerful mage.” Caelan shrugged. “Some say it possesses extraordinary protective powers.”
“How did you come to possess it?” Moira asked, an odd look on her face.
Caelan’s eyes glinted. “With stealth and cunning.”
Tess stared at Caelan. “You stole it?”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
When I opened my mouth to protest, Caelan shook his head. “You said no diamonds or anything ridiculous. It’s small and neutral, so it will match anything you wear.”
“But a priceless shifter artifact?” I pinched the space between my brows. “What if someone outside of your Pack recognizes what it is?”
“It belongs to the Pack now.” Caelan’s smile chilled me.
“You’re impossible,” I said softly.
“It’s perfect for this purpose. Small, protective, and elegant.” To Ash he gestured with his hand. “Shall we get on with it?”
Ash’s lips twitched. “The Lord—”
“Caelan.”
“Caelan is correct. The pendant is strong enough to hold the spell. I sense magic woven into its deepest layers. Protective magic. He chose well, Evie.”
“And now I have to worry about losing it,” I muttered.
“We hope you’d worry about that anyway since we’re about to stuff it full of a world-ending seed,” Moira said.
“The seed will find its way back to you,” Tess said. “Or at least that’s what your father said.”
Silence fell like an anvil.
“Sonofabitch,” I swore.
“Woah,” Moira said.
I sank down onto the couch, suddenly boneless.
“Tess.” Ash’s voice was sharp. “How in the world would you know that?”
Tess waved a delicate hand. “The threads that bind them. Any of my kind would recognize they’re kin.”
“And you just thought to tell her now?” Moira said.
“Why would I tell her? If Evie looked hard enough, she would have seen the threads too.”
Awesome. I rubbed my eyes.
Caelan sat down beside me. His posture bristled with tension. “You’re a goddess,” he said quietly. “A full one.”
“I need a moment.” Suspicion kept rearing its ugly head over the last few months. Why was Cernunnos so interested in me? Why was he helping me?
Moira pressed a glass of wine into my hand. “Drink.”
Ash held up a finger. “I’m not sure drinking—”
“Shut up, Ash,” Tess and Moira said at the same time.
The banshee floated over. “I’m sorry, Evie.”
I tried to give her a reassuring smile but wasn’t sure I was successful. “Don’t be sorry. My paternity isn’t your fault.”
Tess wrung her hands together. “For not telling you.” Her voice shook. “I don’t always understand the right thing to do to be a good friend.”
I sat up and reached out to her, taking her cool hand in mine. “Tess. You are a good friend. Being like everyone else is overrated anyway.”
She ducked her head. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.” I think. Holy shit. I wasn’t just a goddess. I was a…
The world swirled around me. My heartbeat picked up.
“Evie?” A warm hand on my knee.
The world turned to a pinpoint, blackness creeping at the edge of my vision.
I wasn’t just a goddess.
I was a freaking fae princess.