He gave Kirin and Lyra an apologetic look.“I swore to Tara that I would tell no one.”He addressed them all again.“Then last Friday, Jeremy comes to me and says he just did some magick that released locked memories of a meeting he and Tara had with Silva.Because Silva performed the memory lock on him, Jeremy suspected he might have kidnapped Tara.He spied on Silva and discovered a Dragon baby he thought might be Tara’s.He was going back to investigate, and he wanted me ready in case the baby needed my essence.That’swhen the tulpa appeared.Jeremy fought it, then zapped us to his apartment.Soon after, this horrible snake popped out of the wall and took me toSilva’smansion.Then Silva used his dark magick to bring Jeremy.Silva said Tara died trying to escape with the baby right after she was born.”He turned to Huff, then Ellie.“I’m sorry.”
Ellie let out a pained gasp, and Kirin pulled her close.Archer took a step away from them.
Lyra filled them in on what had happened on their end.She maneuvered the baby so that she faced Huff.“This is your daughter.”
Huff’s facedrained ofallcolor.He made no move to take the baby.
Ellie’s eyes glistened with tears as she stepped forward, tookthe infant from Lyra,and cuddledher.She pressed her forehead to thebaby’s.“I’m your big sister, and I’m going to keep you safe from now on.”Then she turned to her father.“Mom lost her life trying to conform to what you wanted.Are you willing to lose your daughter, too?”She leaned close to Kirin.“You have to accept all of us as we are.”When Huff still looked stunned, she added,“If you can’t, we’ll take her.”Emotions welled in her voice, poking at Archer.“She’s got Mom’s eyes and your nose, andshe’smy family.”
Huff reached for the baby at lastwith trembling arms.He held her aloft, studying her face.She wriggled and started to fuss.Then he pulled her against his chest and squeezed his eyes shut.
All ofthose wonderful, warm feelings pounded Archer.He gripped his chest, wishing he could loosen the tightness.“You should all go now.Jeremy needsquiet.And I need torecover.”Lyra gave him a questioning look.He had to fight not to reach over and touch her cheek to smooth away the wetness.“Bye, Lyra.”
Her mouthquiveredas sheno doubtheard the finality of hisgood-bye.A wave of her frustration and sorrow smashed into him.It was she who took several steps back.To protect him.She turned to the group.“Wehave toget Pop home.And help set up a nursery.We need to get back to normal.”She gave Archer one last look, filled with affection and pain,before she ushered them out the door.
He stumbledtothe living room.Hedidn’teven make it to the couch.
* * *
The following two weeksdragged forLyra, despite how busy the bakery got.Unusually busy.Really unusual, because Caidos started coming in to buy pastries and donuts and gourmet breads.Shehadhardly everseen a Caido in the bakeshop before, and now they were coming in every day.Oh,yeah, the employees noticed, swooning over the beautiful men with shimmering eyes.Lyra bit herlipanddidn’tsay anything.How could she explain that the most gorgeous manshe’dever met was no doubt sending them her way to boost business when that Caidowasn’tmaking an appearance himself?
She snarled at the thought.No, she got it.Shecouldn’tbe in his life if she caused him pain.Ifhe’dcome in, or called, that would only prolong her agony, andpossibly his.Socompleteseparation was good.
She snarled again, making Catalina, one of the employees, give her a wide berth as she headed to ring up a customer.Lyra jerked an empty tray from the case and stalked into the kitchen to get a fresh tray of angel-wing cookies glittering with fairy dust sugar.You know, because she nowhadregularCaido customers,andit was only fair to create a cookie for them.It hurt to look at those wings that reminded her of Archer.
Sheemergedfrom the kitchen and slid the full tray into the case.
“Nice wings.”
His voice washed over her like an ocean wave at the beach, nearly knocking her over.She jerked up, hitting her head on the top of the case.She hardly felt the pain as she extricatedherself and rose to her full height.She’dbeen feeling enough of the emotional type of pain every time she thought about him or took a sip of that wretched absinthe that reminded her of how his mouth tasted.But looking at him, right there, in a white cotton shirt and jeans, she was feeling no pain.
“I’ll take a dozen,”he said.
Lyra stared at him for a second, until Catalina nudged her.“If you’re not going to help him, I will.”
“I’vegot him.It.The customer, I mean.”She snapped out of her spell and grabbed a white box.Her hands were shaking as she set the cookies gently inside.He was only there to, what, say hello?She fumbled until she got the stupid flaps into the slots, somethingshe’ddone a million times,and set the box on the counter.“On the house.Consider it a referral bonus.”
He smiled.“They’vebeen coming?I told them how great the breads were, the cookies…”His gaze slid down to her mouth.“Everything.”
“Yeah, thanks.”She caught herself staring again.The Thrall.
Sure, ifthat’swhat you want to think.
“How’s Jeremy?”See, that was a nice, logical question to ask.
“He’shavinga hard timegetting used to life without his wings, butMarikhas been by his side.From whatI’vefound after doing some asking around, his essence will return when the Caido who Stripped him dies or deigns to restore them.Which meansSilvaisn’tdead.The Guardcan’tfind anything about him, so we may never know who he is or why he did it.”
“I’m sorry.”She tamped down her sympathy for his situation.
He held her gaze for a moment.“Can we talk?”
“Sure.When?Now?”Could she sound more eager?
“If you can break away.I’vegot my car at the curb.”
She leaned across the counter, spotting the silver beauty out front.“How’dyou manage to get that perfect spot?Never mind,I think Iknow.”She turned to Catalina.“I’m taking a break.”
“I bet you are,”Catalinaintoned, staring at Archer.
