She stares at it for a long moment, then past it, at me, shaking her head and pushing my offering away. She then says something to Erwin that includes both Cathal and Fallon’s names.
I grit my teeth, tempted to remind them both that my daughter and her father aren’t my keepers.
“You can stay with us, Rajka.” Ceres’s clear voice carves through the tense silence, carrying everyone’s attention to her. I’m guessing most are surprised by her mastery of my tongue. “Justus put an apartment at Agrippina’s and my disposal while our house is being renovated.”
I start to smile but my lips freeze.Find Agrippina. Could the Mahananda have whispered this to me because it anticipated Sybille’s disinclination to host me?
“After everything your grandmother has done for us, it would be our honor.” Ceres sets down the deck of cards she’d been shuffling, then palms the scarred wooden tabletop and scoots her chair back. “We were just heading home. Unless you want a bite to eat before?—”
“I’ve eaten. Thank you.” I clip the bracelet back onto my wrist. “I’m ready to retire.”
The door bursts open behind me and a violent chill creeps up my spine.
One caused by more than the bitter temperature.
One caused by an icy glare.
I twist my neck slowly, knowing full well whose rabid gaze I’m about to meet.
Chapter 35
Zendaya
“Ithought you didn’t inform him of my trip,” I mutter to Erwin as Cathal irrupts into the tavern, eyes slitted, hair wild.
“I didn’t,” the beefy redhead murmurs. “Like I mentioned earlier, I don’t care to be plucked.” He scratches the back of his neck. “Or pulped. I’m in so much fucking trouble. Apologies for what I’m about to do.”
When he morphs into smoke and streaks past Cathal, I realize that he was apologizing in advance for abandoning me with the seething Crow. “I’m ready to leave, Ceres.”
“Right away.” Once she’s slipped her arms through her fur-lined cloak, she helps Agrippina into hers. “Evening, Cathal.”
The Crow doesn’t reciprocate her social niceties, merely aims his glower her way. Ceres doesn’t flinch as she hooks Agrippina’s arm through hers and crosses the deathly-quiet tavern toward me.
Fallon’s Faerie grandmother gives my outfit a once over. “Not really dressed for this weather, are you? Good thing it’s not a long walk. Come.”
I start to follow when Cathal finally unclenches his jaw. “She’ll be coming with me.”
“No,shewon’t,” I reply tightly.
“I wasn’t giving you a choice, Príona.”
I come toe to toe with Cathal and angle my face toward his to deliver words which I know will make him back down. “My mate wouldn’t appreciate me going off with another male. Not to mention that you aren’t my guard.”
My words don’t magically blow the Crow away. They merely hone his fury. “As far as I can see, yourmateisn’t around,” he grits out.
“You’d see farther if you stopped watching me.”
Though his facial hair has thickened, it doesn’t conceal the severe angle of his jawbone.
“How about you escort us to my house, Cathal?” Though Ceres’s question is packaged as a suggestion, it isn’t one. “A win-win for everyone.” She lowers her voice to add, “Also, you’re disquieting both my daughter and Sybille’s patrons.”
“Do I look like I give a single fuck about?—”
“They are her livelihood.” Her hiss is as cutting as shards of glass.
Narrowing his eyes some more, a feat considering how thin they already are, Cathal wheels around and yanks open the door, crushing its edge until we’ve stepped over the threshold.
The second we’re outside, he growls into my ear, “Get on my back.” And then his body expands into his bird’s.
