I lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “I have complicated feelings about this place. And I don’t know that I can lean on Rowan’s hospitality. He’s been wonderful, but I don’t…” My voice trailed off.
Moira pointed at me. “Get those self-sabotaging thoughts right out of your head.” She wiggled her index finger. “I can see them swirling around in your noggin. Rowan is so far removed from Caelan it isn’t even funny. You won’t be leaning on him for anything. That man would open up a vein for you.”
Tears burned the backs of my eyes. “I don’t want to be reliant on anyone ever again,” I whispered.
Moira’s expression darkened. “You never relied on anyone in the first place. You were the one who gathered us all. You were the one who kept us together. You were the one who started the shop. You were the one who survived everything and thrived.” She leaned forward and her voice lowered. “Do not let that sonofabitch trick you into thinking he was your savior. You saved yourself, Evie. And you saved us, too. We are here because we love you, not because we want to own you, and not because we feel like you owe us anything. Wherever you go, we will go. Like Ash said, that’s what family does.”
A tear slipped down my face. “I just need to know you want to come and that you don’t feel obligated. If we do this, it will be a huge change for all of us. We’ll have to work hard to get back to where we were.”
Moira, Ash, and Tess looked at each other, then back at me. “We were getting bored here, anyway. Joy Springs is in the middle of nowhere, and Fredericksburg isn’t our kind of vibe.”
Tess and Ash both nodded.
My heart felt full for the first time in a long time. “I’ll think about it,” I said softly. “Until then, close up shop. You’ll continue getting a paycheck and benefits. Think of this as an unplanned vacation.”
“We don’t mind working,” Ash said. “There’s no need?—”
“How many customers have come in this week?” I interrupted.
Ash winced again. Tess nudged him.
“Four,” he grumbled.
Shit. Much worse than expected. “Then it’s settled. Right now, it’s more expensive to be open than closed. A week, then I’ll decide.”
We talked a bit more, and I told them I loved them. When I hung up and set the phone on the nightstand, I let out a slow breath and sank back onto my pillows. Could I do it? Could I walk away from Caelan and the life that I’d built? Was it worth it?
A soft knock on the door jostled me from my thoughts. “Come in.”
Rowan poked his head around the door and peered in. “Want to take a ride?”
My eyes narrowed. “Is that a euphemism?”
His eyes sparkled with amusement. “It wasn’t, but it can be.”
I laughed. “A ride where?”
“Get dressed,” he said instead. “Wear comfortable shoes.”
He winked and shut the door behind him, leaving me on the bed staring in confusion.
My bed was super comfortable, but my curiosity won out. With a groan, I rolled over and got out of bed to change clothes.
“I’ve never been here,”I said, gaping at the bustling and thriving town square. It wasn’t like Joy Springs, not at all. This place had a vibrancy similar to that of a larger city, but magic hummed in the air. “Are there any humans?”
“Plenty,” Rowan said as he backed his truck into a reserved parking space. “But Emberwood doesn’t hide. Every human who lives here is aware of us.”
I snapped my attention to him. “How?” I breathed.
“Similar to your fae oath,” he said simply. “If they want to live here, they must apply. Each human applicant undergoes a thorough background check, and a mage of my choosing performs an even deeper sweep. If they pass, they are informed of what our town holds and required to undergo an oath tied to their blood. They simply cannot tell anyone who has not taken the oath anything about us. The magic prevents them.”
My misgivings must have shown on my face. Rowan smiled. “You wonder what happens if they ever want to leave.”
I nodded. “Can they?”
His low chuckle wasn’t amused. “I am not your other Lord, Evie. No one is held here against their will. They do not tithe or bow to me as a god. There is a simple spell that activates when they announce their intention to leave. Their memories remain, minus the magic.”
I blinked. “How does that work?”
