Peri pinched the bridge of her nose and Jen could tell that the high fae was exhausted. “Vasile,” Peri called out.
The Alpha, obviously taking Peri’s address as some sort of signal, stepped forward and folded his arms across his chest as he looked at Cyn and the elf prince. He proceeded to explain everything that had happened in the past two weeks. Once the fae and her man were brought up to speed, it was Peri’s turn to be surprised.
“He’s feral?” Peri’s body stilled after hearing Vasile explain what they’d found in the forest.
“He had enough control to get his son to safety,” Decebel spoke up. “He called and asked me to have someone take care of the boy for a while. I honestly don’t think Costin even realized how deep the darkness had taken root until he quit fighting it. Once Titus was safe, his wolf had no one left to protect from himself.”
Jen let out a frustrated sigh. “Again, why are we sitting here chatting instead of looking for Costin and dragging Sally’s butt back? Can’t we help her get her memory back once we get her home?”
Peri shook her head. “It’s too dangerous. The magic used on her is powerful and not easily broken. If it’s handled indelicately, it could kill her.” The high fae began to pace. “I debated on whether or not to tell any of you, to be honest, because I know how hard it is not to rush to her rescue, and you guys have known her much longer than I have.” She shot Jen and Jacque pointed looks. “But we cannot rush this.”
“Is she safe?” Jacque asked. “I mean, can we risk leaving her where she is?”
“Safety can come in many forms,” Peri began but Jen cut her off.
“Stralina,” the Serbia female Alpha said kindly to the pixie who’d been quietly observing the meeting. “You were the one to find Sally, right?”
The pixie nodded.
“Could you give us a rundown of her situation?”
“Jennifer,” Peri’s stern voice was surprising but Jen shot her a look that could kill.
“You are too close to the situation,” Jen growled. She would have been on her feet if her damn mate would release the death grip he had on her. “I want to know where my healer is. I want to know where she lives. I want to know if she has everything she needs. And I don’t want things omitted because you are afraid to give us the truth.”
“Because you handle the truth so responsibly.” Peri said through narrowed eyes.
“Bite me, fairy,” Jen snarled. She turned back to the pixie. “Could you please tell us what you’ve observed?”
Stralina looked up at Peri, obviously unsure if she should answer. Peri simply shrugged her shoulders and stepped aside as if to give the little woman the floor.
“Sally is in North America, living in Oceanside, North Carolina. She resides alone in a boxy dwelling that I believe you humans call an apartment. She works at a local drinking establishment calledThe Dog House. She is in a relationship with a male. Though it doesn’t seem to be serious, it is monogamous. The male is a coworker named Jericho and he is a werewolf. She is unaware that he is a werewolf, or that such things exist. She has no knowledge of the supernatural world and she doesn’t know that she is a gypsy healer. She has been suffering from headaches that have become more frequent and she has nightmares. Based upon my observations, it doesn’t appear that she has any memory whatsoever of her former life. Peri asked me to listen for key words that she might speak out loud to herself, or even in her sleep, including your names. But she has never said any of them. She’s never mentioned Coldsprings or her life there as a teenager. She never speaks about her family. She has recently cut and dyed her hair with some encouragement from Jericho.”
Jen’s eyes were wide and her mouth had fallen open. She was pretty sure she wouldn’t be closing it anytime soon.
“I’m sorry,” Jacque said, her voice unsteady. “Did you say she’s in a relationship?”
“She works at a place calledThe Dog House.” Okay, so Jen was able to get her mouth to do something more than just hang open and invite in flying insects.
Stralina blinked, looking back and forth between the two girls as though she wasn’t sure who she should answer. Peri tapped her shoulder and smiled. “I’ll take it from here, Stralina. You did good.”
“Thank you, Perizada.” She bowed her head and stepped back.
“She died and cut her hair?” Jen continued.
“Do they touch?” Jacque asked.
“Surely not,” Jen responded and shuttered.
“Ugh, do they kiss?” Jacque asked as she covered her mouth with her hand as though she couldn’t believe she’d uttered something so terrible.
“No,” Jen shook her head. “No, there is none of that. Sally wouldn’t kiss someone else, I don’t care how jacked up her head was.”
Stralina started to say something but Peri stepped in front of the pixie. “I don’t think those are the things that are really important right now. She’s alive and relatively safe and healthy. That’s what counts.”
“Sure, sure,” Jacque agreed but then frowned. “Butdothey touch?”
Peri groaned and plopped herself down, ungracefully, in an empty chair. “Is it really that important?”
