“I know you know she’s half-Elven,” he whispered. “I also know you love her.”
My mouth went dry. Though I gripped the side of the cot hard enough for my knuckles to turn white, I didn’t contradict him.
Honestly, I didn’t have the breath necessary for speech.
Was it that obvious?
“Raewyn can never know about her heritage,” he said. “It puts her in even more danger. My wife broke all the rules to be with me, and she was determined her child would never pay the price. In your world, she would be viewed as the daughter of a ‘traitor,’ a half breed, even lower in their view than we humans are.”
Again, I couldn’t disagree.
“Raewyn believes her mother was killed in battle. Was it true?” I asked him.
Though I already knew the answer, I wanted to find out if he did.
Wyll shook his head. “My wife fought on the side of the humans in the Rebellion—her second act of treason. Her first was loving and marrying a human. When I was blinded during the battle of Castleton and took an arrow to the spine, I was carted home on a meat wagon. Jeneve was enraged and went to the battlefield to take my place. She believed in human equality and actually thought we had a chance to win.”
He gave a humorless laugh and winced again.
“Raewyn nursed my wounds while her mother went off to war,” he said. “Jeneve never came home. Witnesses told me they saw her being dragged away by royal soldiers to the palace. I could do nothing to help her in my condition—I couldn’t even help myself or my child at that point. I never heard from my wife again, so I know she’s dead.”
“I’m certain you’re right,” I said. “I’m so sorry.”
I would not tell himhowI knew for certain—or that my brother was involved. There was no point. It would only increase the pain.
“I know you can protect her from predators and adversaries, Fae and human alike,” Wyll said. “Can you promise me to protect her from this knowledge as well?”
It felt wrong to make such a vow, to withhold information from Raewyn that I knew she’d want to know. She’d been angry with me for not telling her earlier what I knew about the witch’s escape.
But how could I deny this man his deathbed wish?
Unlike my own father, Wyll Hennessey loved his children fiercely and unconditionally. I had to trust that he knew what was best for them better than I did.
He’d known and loved Raewyn far longer than I had.
And he was right—Ididlove her.
I’d known it since the night I’d stood in front of her cottage doorway, saying goodbye after taking her home. It had required all my strength to make my feet turn and walk away while my heart was being torn from my chest.
The fact I loved her did neither of us any good, but it was what it was. Completely beyond my control.
Solfrid came back into the main room and asked me to give her space while she used her healing glamour, trying to save Wyll’s life.
I stepped outside to find Raewyn and Turi and Tindra waiting, anxious expressions on their faces.
“She’s working on him now,” I said, and we all waited together.
After about an hour, Solfrid opened the door and asked me to step back inside.
“Can I come? Can I see him?” Raewyn asked, grabbing my hand.
Dropping her gaze to where my hand contacted the human woman’s, Solfrid gave a terse head shake. She didn’t want Raewyn in her house, I guessed.
“Best not,” I said. “We have to stick to her rules if we want her help. I’ll be right back.”
And then I entered the cottage and closed the door.
“Well?”
