“No.” The opposite.
“Did he say it had to be now or never?”
I shook my head.
“Has he ever pushed you into accepting anything you didn’t want?”
I blew out an annoyed breath and laughed. “I know what you’re doing.”
Moira gave me an innocent look. “Me?”
“You’ve always liked him.”
“He makes it very difficult not to like him.”
“Unlike Soren,” I said, needling her a little bit.
“Soren can fall in a wolf-sized hole for all I care.”
I blinked at the vehemence in her words. “Well,” I said softly. “There’s obviously a story there.”
“A horror novel,” Moira grumbled. She flicked her fingers at me. “But we aren’t talking about me. We’re talking of wonderful Rowan.”
I grabbed the bottle of brandy and poured more in my cup, offering Moira some when I’d finished. She happily accepted. “Want my advice?” she asked.
“I’m not sure anymore.”
Moira laughed. “Take care of your affairs here. Have it out with Caelan. Get the closure you need. Then decide. Either way, I’m not sure you’ll be able to stay here if you break things off forever with him.”
“I don’t know where it all went so wrong.”
Moira sighed and nudged my thigh with her toe. “He hunted you like a predator thinking you were prey. And when you proved anything but, the thrill of a challenge ignited his blood. But when you became too powerful for even him to handle, the dynamics between you changed and it turned him bitter.”
I stared at my friend, dumbstruck. She smiled and clinked our cups together. “My dear, this was never about the children. This has always been about you and the threat you poseto his way of life. He’s making excuses to justify his own shortcomings.”
Could it be that easy? Had this always been about Caelan’s need for control? I sat there and stared at Moira until she snorted.
“For someone so smart, sometimes you can be so dumb. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart.”
“I’ve been a fool.”
Moira clicked her tongue. “No. You’ve been a woman pursued by a handsome, powerful, sexy male who made you feel cherished and beautiful. Caelan would have always been happy in that position, content to have you by his side until you went and changed the game on him. He’s not a man good with surprises. Or with women who outrank him.” She sighed and snuggled deeper into the cushions. “It’s a tale as old as time.”
“Fuck,” I muttered. “I have a lot to think about.”
“Mmm hmm. You do. We should call Tess and Ash while we’re here. They’ve been hearing rumblings around town about the swans and other things.”
I closed my eyes and swore. “The swans. Shit.” The swan shifters had come in hot and heavy with plans to kidnap me and forcibly impregnate me with swan babies to alleviate their infertility curse. Looking at things on the surface made their plan seem laughable, but they’d managed to take one of our people and we still hadn’t found him. We’d killed one of their own and raided their Keep, but we all knew they weren’t done with me yet. It was only a matter of when they might strike next. Not if.
Moira laughed. “The arrows are flying in all directions now.”
“I’m thinking about killing all of them.”
Surprise flashed in Moira’s eyes. “Swift and decisive. I like it.”
I loved her for never judging me no matter what harebrained shit I came up with.
“Not too bloodthirsty?”
