Not safe. Hunters. People who would slaughter us just for breathing.
But I couldn't drop that bomb on Tash, not with her already brittle at the edges. Not with the dragon in her kid so close to waking.
Our kid.
I shrugged, low and bitter. "Old family paranoia. My mom… after Dad was killed, she became intense about privacy. She always said if someone wanted to find us, it'd only bring trouble. Is Fiona the redhead, or Meredith?"
"She goes by Fifi, and she has auburn hair, yes. Meredith likes to be called Mere."
I scrubbed a hand over my face, feeling every year I'd missed.
"I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you, I swear. I just can't stop thinking about all the time we’ve lost. And while I'm furious with Mom for not telling me, it really was a one in a million chance. People in my family have fertility issues."
She fidgeted with her phone, gaze darting away. "It's not your fault, but it's not mine either."
I swallowed hard. "I need to meet them. Please."
Her chin jerked up. "It's their call, Chance. They're old enough to decide. You can't make this simple by muscling through."
God, I wanted to. Every cell in me screamed for it.
Tell her about our spark.
I tried to say it gently. "About Fiona. If anything strange happens, if she says things you don't expect, don't… don't ignore it."
Tash's eyes flared. "She's struggling with some mental health stuff. That's why we moved here. You think it'll get worse? Is it a problem in yourfamily?"
I couldn't answer. Not fully. Not without risking everything.
"It can be. If you need help, I'm always here. No matter what."
Her shoulders shook. She wiped her eyes, furious at herself for letting it show. "I'll talk to them. But you have to go slow. Mere is protective. Fifi is complicated."
I stood up, rounding the desk so we were even. I didn't reach for her. I didn't want to crowd her, not now. But I wanted her to see that this was real for me, and not just some obligation. "I don't know how to make it right, but I want to try."
Her lips twisted, a sad little smile that broke my heart all over again. "That would mean a lot. I'll let you know if they want to meet."
She turned to leave, but then she stopped, hand on the doorknob, body rigid. I took one step toward her before I could stop myself, drawn to her like gravity had suddenly picked sides. "Did you ever… think about me?"
The words were so quiet I nearly missed them. The question struck deeper than she knew, because the truth was I'd never forgotten the way she'd looked at me that night, like I was something she wanted just as badly.
"All the time. Not a week went by, and I searched, too, but I only knew your first name."
She gave one last nod, as if that settled things.
Then she was gone, footsteps retreating down the hallway to the side door, out into the mountain sun.
I shut the office door, dizzy and gutted. Caden raged and mourned in equal measure.
Sixteen years. Seventeen from the moment I’d accidentally impregnated Tash, but the twins were sixteen.
I couldn't get back even a single day.
But now, I'd do almost anything to have them going forward.
Tash
Rain hammeredthe roof so hard the gutters sounded like a drumline. My head buzzed worse than the weather. Every inch of the living room still screamed "chaos," and I wasn't above blaming the house for my nerves.
