“Does he still try?”
“He sends cursed gifts occasionally, but we just send them back to his mother. She’s really pissed that she doesn’t have a granddaughter.”
They leaned back out of the hug. “Come on, Bethany. Let’s get you to a guestroom. You need some sleep.”
“I have a new job and have to be there by one.”
“Then, we had better tuck you in. Where are you working?”
“The new fertility retreat that Nessa Twilight has started. I am the attendant for the couple who is undergoing the treatment.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, I haven’t been able to get any certification. Running is hard work.”
“Wait, you have been running this whole time?”
“Yup. Even when you saw me in Japan, I was just doing a favour for a friend with the performance, and then I tried to leave, but there was an offer to help with my concealment, and I took it. It may have been an issue, but it’s over, and now I am back to trying to make my life look normal while being hunted by warlocks all the fucking time.”
Abra linked arms with her. “Have you ever socialized?”
“Like naked?”
“Yes.”
“Once. It was payment for the spell that made people forget my name.”
“Oh. Ouch.”
“That was a good description of it, but seeing warlocks pop out of the woodwork was getting old. They were tracking me by name.”
“I see. Would you tell me who it was?”
“I am terrible with names.” Bethany chuckled. “That was before the spell.”
“Well, once you are rested, I am going to pick your brain.”
“That will be a short excavation.”
Abra laughed and walked into the house, past a butler, and up a set of stairs. The guestroom was beautiful and had a blue-dressed bed.
“Go and get some rest. I am going to make a few calls and scald some ears.”
“You do you, boo-boo.” She looked back at Abra. “You can really yell at them?”
“Oh, yeah. The half-elf with no clan status gives me a lot of pull. Basically, they can’t tell someone else to rein me in.” Abra grinned. “As you would say, neener, neener.”
“Oh. Nice. Okay. Sleep now. Thank you so much for coming for me.”
“I am sorry it took so long. Rest. No one is getting to you here.” She smiled. “They would need a tank, and I would notice it.”
Bethany smiled and closed the door, stripping and heading for a warm shower. Once she was clean, she crawled into bed and sent her senses out to look for danger around her. She smiled, pulled the sheets and blankets over her, and let herself rest.
* * * *
Delphine thumbed through her phone and contacted Mr. Twilight’s assistant, Orvis.
A sleepy voice answered, “Hello?”
