Chapter Twenty-Six
Macgrath
Istepped awayfrom Ava and stared down at the flower in her hand in horror.
“What? We have no plan in place and the protection wards are down.”
I threw Kerry a wild-eyed glance and she merely nodded and left the room with Finn. I only hoped that she could get the spells back in place before Rhiannon arrived.
“I think we have a few hours,” Ava replied. “It’s likely Rhiannon will think this is a trap and approach cautiously. But she will still come because she can’t resist the call of her mother’s blood.”
“Her blood?” Harrison asked.
I gaped at the flower in her hands, dazzled by the pulsating light that seemed to move through the petals.
Ava nodded, cupping the flower between both her hands now. “It’s the only thing strong enough to call her and snare her. The Goddess infused the plant with her blood.”
I met her gaze and felt a shift within Ava. She was hiding something. I wanted to push the mental barrier she erected between us, but now wasn’t the time. Once she was protected, she and I would talk about what she didn’t want me to see.
“Aveta.”
The quiet, feminine voice distracted my mate. Ava turned to Arien.
“We will need to prepare.”
Ava’s jaw firmed and I felt the wall between our minds strengthen. A flicker of unease filled me. This wasn’t right. There was something else happening here.
Before I could speak, Savannah appeared in the doorway. I hadn’t even noticed when she left the room. She brushed past Harrison and held out a loose cotton dress to Arien.
“It might be a bit loose, but you’ll be covered.”
The woman nodded and slipped the material over her head. She seemed completely comfortable with her nudity, even with Harrison staring at her as though she were a Scooby snack.
“Thank you, Savannah.”
Savannah stared at her for a moment and her mouth worked as though she wanted to say something, but she finally closed her lips and just nodded. When she turned and left the room, Arien watched her go with genuine sadness in her eyes. She may have been sent as Savannah’s protection but she cared for her deeply.
Arien blinked and turned her head to look at Ava. “We must hurry. She grows impatient.”
Ava nodded and took a step toward Arien. I reached out and took her hand, stopping her before she could get too far away. “Give us a moment, Arien.” When she merely nodded and waited in silence, I cleared my throat. “We need privacy,” I explained, fighting to keep my tone patient and gentle.
Arien cringed. “Of course. I’ll be, uh, in another room.”
When the door closed behind her with a soft click, I waited several seconds before I turned back toward Ava.
“Macgrath, whatever it is—”
I cut her off. “What are you hiding?”
She frowned at me. “What do you mean?”
The first pricks of anger trailed down the back of my neck, hot and sharp. “Don’t pretend you don’t know exactly what I’m talking about.”
She sighed and her shoulders slumped. “It really isn’t the time, but I guess you should know.”
My body tensed. What was happening?
“Rhiannon is my aunt,” she stated. “And the Goddess is her mother. Which makes the Goddess…” She stopped speaking and swallowed hard.
