“The date on yer phone is correct, pet. Time runs differently in the Fae realms. In some of them, a single night is a hundred years here. But in Scotland’s Seventh Realm, their time passes faster. A day here is more than a week there—nearly three, in fact.”
“I have to get back there. Jeros is in danger, and he had no right to send me away.” On the verge of more tears, Lexi blinked hard to keep them at bay. “We are as good as married. We made a vow. A bonding vow.”
Brimming with sympathy, Lilias gave Lexi’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “I know, hen, and I am so verra sorry.”
“Sorry?” Lexi jerked away from Lexi’s touch. “I don’t want sorry. I want a way back.”
Lilias made a face and slowly shook her head as she rose from her seat. “I canna help ye. Ye were right in asking for Mairwen. This be something for her and the Council to decide.”
“I checked the hall, and it’s locked up tight. Where does she live? Her massage shop that’s tucked into that hillside behind my cottage was dark, and the sign said,Closed. Does she live there?”
Lilias nodded at the food on the table. “Eat yer breakfast, hen. Ye canna see Mairwen till she is ready to be seen. All the Master Weavers are like that. When she is ready, ye will know where to find her.”
“That is pure unadulterated horse shit. I need to see her now.”
“I am sorry,” Lilias said. “I have already told ye more than I was supposed to, but I couldn’t bear the hurt in yer eyes.” She pulled a cloth from her back pocket and ran it across the next table over, a table that already looked clean. “Mairwen will make herself known to ye soon enough.” She nodded at the food again. “Eat. Keep up yer strength, aye?” Then she hurried back to the bar and disappeared through the door behind it.
Lexi dropped her head into her hands and stared down at the gooey cinnamon roll that would normally have her mouth watering so much she risked drowning. She had no appetite. All she needed was Jeros. And Sevenrest. It was home now. Kentucky never would be again.
Her phone lit up and vibrated across the table with an incoming call. Maggie. Lexi scrubbed a hand across her eyes and stared at the annoying device that kept rattling and shaking until it hit her plate. Maggie would never believe any of this, and she didn’t have the energy to explain it. She snatched up the phone. “Hello.”
“There you are,” Maggie said. “I thought maybe ole’ Nessie had gobbled you up. Are you not getting my texts?”
“I’ve had phone problems,” Lexi lied. Well, not really phone problems, but in a twisted sort of way, maybe it was. “Service here is really spotty, and almost non-existent in some areas.” That wasn’t a lie. “How’s everything going? Any problems?”
“Everything’s running like clockwork. Just like I told you it would. Your grandparents knew what they were doing when they set this place up with good people who could be trusted.”
“About that.” Lexi took a deep breath. “What if I never came back?”
“What?”
“What if I decided to stay in Scotland?”
“Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, it’s a really bad one. I know you. You could never desert Vinemagic.”
“There’s a document in the safe with a clause that says Vinemagic can become fully employee-owned and operated. The board knows about it. They voted to approve it, should anything ever happen to me, since I was the last living family member.”
“You’re serious.” Maggie went quiet. Lexi couldn’t even hear her breathing.
“Are you still there?”
“Why do you want to do this, Lex?” Maggie cleared her throat, her voice trembling. “Did you meet someone? Is that what’s got you talking crazy? You’ve only been there a few days. Slow down. Wait and see how everything works out. This is drastic.”
“When you know, you know, Mags.” Lexi took a sip of her coffee, hoping the brew would stave off the massive headache making itself known. “And I am serious. Have the board email the document. I’ll sign it electronically. I’ll also sign over my practice to you.”
“Lexi?” Maggie’s voice was filled with disbelief, worry, and anxiety. “You really need to think about this. This is massive—like no turning back, massive. I just don’t think this is wise.”
Maggie had no idea just how massive this was, but it felt right, and that was all that mattered. Mammaw had always told Lexi to listen to her heart and her gut. Both said she needed to stay in Scotland until she found a way back to Jeros—even if it took her the rest of her life, driving around on foggy back roads hoping to cross into the Seventh Realm. “I know what I’m doing, Maggie. Trust me.”
“But…but…I’ll never get to see you again.”
“Sure you will. Come to Scotland. I think you’d love it here.” That was a lie, too. Maybe. Maggie could come to Seven Cairns, but if Lexi had already found her way back to the Seventh Realm, then what? Lexi shook the worry away. She had enough to think about at the moment. Maggie was a good friend, but the girl had a full life that wouldn’t suffer all that much if Lexi weren’t in it. Yes, they would miss each other, but it didn’t compare with the sense of emptiness and pain Lexi currently felt. It may only have been three days of current world time, but she’d spent enough time in the Seventh Realm to know this was right. She didn’t know if it was the hard-to-believe fated mate stuff or that she and Jeros simply had a chemistry off the charts, but she was going to get it back. No matter how long it took.
“Lexi?” Maggie’s voice had taken on that resigned tone she always got when she knew there was no point in arguing. “What am I going to tell everyone?”
“Tell everyone I finally found someone who sees me for who I really am. He looks on the inside—not the outside.” She paused for another sip of coffee. “And he’s never once suggested more plastic surgery or trying to do anything else to change my looks.”
“Then, I’m happy for you.” Maggie blew out a heavy sigh. “I’m not happy for me, and some of your clients are not going to be pleased at all. Mrs. Kirby informed me that Julias doesn’t like me at all, and I tend to agree.”
