“Oh.” Frost didn’t look relieved. “I didn’t know that. So…” He tapped his foot, looking nervous.
Even though Leif didn’t know why Frost hid, he completely understood the desire to disappear. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone where you are. But could you at least tell me what’s going on? I leave town for a few weeks and the whole world turns on its head.”
Frost cleared his throat. “I’m guessing anyone looking your way right now thinks you’re talking to yourself.”
A smile exploded across Leif’s face. “I suppose they do.”
Frost visibly relaxed a hair. “Sorry. You’re right. A lot has happened since you left. I need to stay hidden for my mental health. At least for a little while. I can’t abandon my patients, though.”
Leif eyed Frost’s wards. He had them secured to where only a certain list of people could see him. Leif couldn’t read the names. Those were hidden, but Leif’s curiosity rose by the second. “It’s that bad, huh?”
A wry-sounding laugh burst from Frost. “I’m not even sure.” He waved a hand toward the wards that would be invisible to anyone else. “For now, this is my life while I make some big decisions. I just need some time, and no one will let me have it. So, Gemini taught me this.”
Leif’s eyebrows rose. “Gemini?”
Frost nodded. “His mom is pretty close with a druid priestess. He knows a trick or two. We also visited his mom to get more tips.”
“Leif.”
At the sound of his name, Leif turned his head. He found Gemini on the sidewalk surrounded by the same faint circle of symbols. What the fuck was actually happening?
When their gazes met, Gemini shook his head and moved closer. “Damn. You really can see us.” Gemini shared a look with Frost. He imagined they held a private conversation, like mates tended to do. Gemini focused on him again. “Let’s go for a walk and let Frost work.”
Leif cast a quick glance around to ensure no one was watching. With a single gesture, a matching dome surrounded him, hiding him from all eyes. He didn’t go as far as Frost and Gemini. There was no need to create a list of names or anything like that. Leif only hoped Celeste didn’t check in on him and find him missing too. But he also didn’t relish looking too crazy while Gemini and he talked.
Frost went to the door of his next patient, and Leif moved to the sidewalk with Gemini. Gemini stayed quiet for a few minutes.
Leif allowed the silence to grow. He wasn’t uncomfortable. Leif had gone decades over the centuries without speaking to another living soul besides Audor. They had known each other for way too long to have many conversations left in them.
“Frost says you haven’t heard the news. I’m torn on what to say because you will find out sooner or later.”
Leif nodded. “Talk travels fast in a small community.”
Gemini stopped and met Leif’s stare. “Here’s the thing. You can obviously see us, and what I have to say might make you feel differently about Frost. But my mate deserves peace, and this community needs him. If your knowing we’re still here puts Frost in any danger whatsoever, we’ll be forced to create stronger barriers elsewhere. I’m sick of seeing our world do its best to tear him to pieces. All he does is give, and all everyone else does is take. But I will take him from here, and we’ll spend eternity in our own bubble before I let our kind destroy him. Fuck this town.”
Leif nodded along. Every word Gemini said only served to confuse him even more. “Okay. If you haven’t noticed, I’m not in a real good place with our world either. Walking away from my post meant turning my back on Celeste. I imagine my punishment will come at any time now.” He knew what that price would be, but Gemini didn’t need to know any of that.
Gemini took a deep breath. “Celeste wasn’t quite honest about why she wanted Frost so protected.”
It hit Leif. He knew exactly where this was headed. “Oh. Is this about Frost being Lucifer’s son?”
Gemini’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow. You said that so casually, as if that wasn’t enough to make him a pariah among immortals.”
Leif shrugged. “Obviously, Lucifer ripped Audor’s leg off when we annoyed him, but—honestly—I feel safer knowing Frost is his son. Not only does that explain the weird soft spot Lucifer has always had for him, but I doubt he’ll destroy the place where his son lives. Frost’s existence might be the thing sparing the world right now.”
“In my mom’s opinion, she thinks Lucifer doesn’t know.”
Leif shook his head. “How could he not know? He’s a god.”
“For the same reason Celeste can’t see him now. Magic. A druid priestess my mom knows says someone pulled some powerful spell work to hide Frost. Whether it was his great aunt—since his powers showed up after her passing—or someone she knew, the druid involved had to be imposing. Even the priestess couldn’t deconstruct it. Since we’re dealing with Lucifer, it was her opinion false memories were created of his true parentage to keep him safe.”
“Why would she let him stay in the dark about something so important? His life could be at stake. Every tainted creature alive will hunt him.”
Gemini shrugged. “Maybe she thought his not knowing was enough to protect him when she passed. All of this is purely speculation. With everyone we could ask gone, except Lucifer, we can’t know how he came to be or if Lucifer even knows. All we know is this is a lot, and I’m done allowing free access to my mate for everyone’s use and abuse. He’s taking care of the pregnant Weres in this town, doing his best to make sure as many survive as possible. Otherwise, the closed for business sign is out. I’ve sat back too long and watched him killing himself for everyone else.”
Leif didn’t even have to think about it. If anyone stressed Aspen the way everyone had stressed Frost, expecting him to be a twenty-four-hour miracle worker, Leif would have snapped a hell of a lot sooner. “You don’t have to worry. I won’t say anything. You’d be surprised how much I can hide. No one beyond Audor and now Frost and you know I was born druid.” Leif chuckled. “And I use my magic all the time.” His hands lifted and fell. “No one really sees me. It’s always been that way. An invisible foot soldier and nothing else.” He hadn’t meant to get so personal and let his bitterness spill out, but fuck. A life of service with zero reward was enough to break anyone. “Good for you for protecting your mate.”
Gemini squeezed his shoulder. “Thank you. Using his skills to help others is important to Frost. But sometimes you have to know when to walk away. Sometimes it takes someone else to decide for you.”
