His smile was sad. “My dear, you are also my daughter. No one who keeps secrets from his lover, especially my daughter, is king material.”
With those telling words, he disappeared.
I stared at the place he’d been sitting and let out a frustrated sigh. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to get me to break up with Caelan, get me to force him to tell me the truth, or get me to whip Caelan into shape to one day become a king. And that last one…I was trying not to think about that, especially now that my father had announced my heritage to all the Lords.
If my father wanted me to be queen, the man I eventually chose would be king. That opened up an entirely new can of worms I would never be prepared for. If I chose a Lord, the newtitle would make him a fae king and a king over his own territory. Their power would be unparalleled.
The first sense of unease rolled over my shoulders. Caelan had no idea who or what I was when we met, right? I believed that was true.
But did he know later? Was that why he pursued me so relentlessly?
Surely not. Caelan had never done anything to violate the boundaries of the other Lords’ territories. He’d never reached out and grasped for my power or tried to influence me in any way.
Except…he hadn’t batted an eye when I turned into my Chimera form and killed some people. Was that he wanted?
I let out a groan. Fucking Cernunnos. His cryptic words were sending me into a self-induced tailspin I couldn’t find my way out of.
Moira showedup later than evening with another round of takeout and two guests—Ash and Tess.
They barreled in with grins and hugs, all three kicking off their shoes and plopping onto the couch, sprawling together in a friend pile. Warmth filled my heart.
Maybe I’d be a spinster forever. Friends were better than boys anyway.
I shut the door and went over to the couch, climbing onto Moira’s lap.
She chuckled, her breath ruffling my hair, and put her arms around me. “Love you, weirdo.”
“Love you, too.”
Ash and Tess got into the hug. “We love you, too!”
After a couple of quick squeezes, Moira let me go, so I could dive into the takeout bags.
Mexican food? Nice.
“I brought more daiquiris,” Moira said, reaching down into another bag to pull out two large trays.
“More than two this time, I see.”
She cackled. “Thought we could use them.”
This right here…this was what kept me sane. Unconditional love, tacos, daiquiris, and laughter.
Chapter
Thirty-Three
ROWAN
Ashimmer of magic in the greenhouse alerted me to his presence.
I stiffened. “I’ve told you a dozen times I’m not going to participate in your schemes.”
Goddamned fairies.
Evie’s father appeared in a flash of emerald and golden light. He’d foregone the horns this time and appeared as human as one like him could appear. His eyes swirled with his ever-present magic, but he wore a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. But his feet were bare in twenty-degree weather.
I shook my trowel at him. “Go away.”
