“If you are caught?” he asked.
I blew out a breath. “Ideally, I won’t be. If I am, I can try to say that I was undertaking my queenly duties. Nothing will convince Carmine, though. He’ll know that I’m aware of my twin if I’m caught.”
“A great risk. Especially when you already know she is there.”
Grandfather disapproved. He’d also survived this long on cautious instincts. Which wasn’t something to discredit, but caution was the loudest voice in his head now. “My magus power is not something to ignore. That’s warning me to seek out my sister, and I trust that warning. What if my sister is… unresponsive or incapable of doing what we wish? Our plan hinges on her ability to move and talk, and to talk cohesively and convincingly. She was all of those things when I last knew her. But 95 percent of her is dead. How functional is that last 5 percent?”
He nodded. “Your human instincts have not led you astray yet.”
Magusinstincts. I didn’t bother correcting him. Demons had some serious hang-ups about other supernaturals.
Adeuto barreled back in. “Mama! A rock.”
I caught him as he leaped onto my lap and pushed a blue stone toward my face.
“Look,” he declared, then lisped, “special.”
I took the blue rock in my hand and grunted at the trickle of warmth. “Itisspecial, darling. My magus power is reacting to it.”
“Me too, Mama! It’s like your hugs.”
I smiled and hugged him in response. “And yours. Warm, comforting, and reassuring. I’ve never seen another gem like it.”
Magus were big on gems to purify and center—and gems could also behave like power reserves. I’d never collected them in the same way Tempest had, but I’d recently realized that not exploring my divination affinity was a mistake. I hadn’t considered that there would be a range of gems in this realm too.
Adeuto closed my fingers around the gem. “For you.”
I shook my head. “No, my little love. I want you to have all the hugs.”
His eyes were unseeing as a deep voice floated from him. “The gem is meant for you.”
I nodded. “Then I shall keep it safe and always with me.”
“Put it in your boot.”
My brows rose. “Okay?”
“Now.”
I wasn’t about to argue with a possessed toddler. “Done.”
His divination magic released him, and he beamed angelically up at me.
“Thank you for the gift,” I said, my mind on the gem wedged in my boot. No doubt the mother would reveal the purpose of the gem in her own time. No point worrying about it.
Adeuto kissed my cheek, then nuzzled into me for a cuddle. He was getting clingier the longer I was away.
I wrapped my arms around him.Nearly time to go.
I hated this.
Two weeks until I could free Tempest.Ifshe was functional, then how long until she delivered a warning to other supernaturals? As a demon too. Would other supernaturals even listen to a demon?
And then how long for them to wage war on demons? These things didn’t happen overnight. Months—it could take months. Months of trying to keep myself together. Months of these goodbyes. Months of risk.
So many maybes and ifs. When it came to my son, I wanted neither of those things.
My exhale shuddered, and I realized Grandfather was speaking. “What was that?”
