I looked at Rowan, who nodded.
“Good with us.” I pulled out the potions from my jacket pocket. “How’s your supply looking?”
“Excellent.” Moira nodded to Rowan. “Your territory is wonderfully abundant with most of the things I need for my work, and I haven’t walked more than ten percent.”
“With Evie here, I’m sure that will only get better.”
Moira winked at me. “Have fun you two. And if Thorvin acts up, tell him he’s overdue for another glittering.”
“Will do.” I gave her and Ash another quick hug. They wandered away to find Tess while Rowan and I continued on to a safe space far away from the prying eyes of the Keep. We both trusted Rowan’s people—my people now, too, but shifters didn’t always love magic. They seemed fine with my particular flavor—earth magic—though growing flowers and making people randy was vastly different than disappearing into thin air.
Rowan suggested easing them into power like this. They’ve never had a fae living on Keep grounds and things had been a welcome but big adjustment for everyone.
When we were out of sight, Rowan snagged me around the waist and kissed me senseless. I sagged against him, hands clutching the soft fabric of his sweater.
“Mm. What was that for?”
Rowan kissed me once more. “Because I can and because I want to.”
He never held anything over my head, never teased or cajoled me without following through. Rowan never made me feel weak. My breath caught.
Concern flashed in his eyes. He tilted my chin up. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to find you.” I swallowed hard and looked away.
Rowan’s arms gathered around me. “It took exactly as long as it was meant to take.”
He always knew the right thing to say.
“Seeing me with Caelan must have been difficult for you.”
Rowan nuzzled my hair. “I didn’t know you were my mate back then. I knew there was something between us, more than an easy friendship. There were moments of jealousy, but those were tamped down by your feelings for him.” His sigh was deep. “As time went on, my feelings grew, and there were a few times I had to stop myself from beating that idiot to a pulp when he was casually cruel to you.”
Rowan shook his head. “These things are all in the past. We’ve gotten to where we need to be.” He clasped our fingers together. “You never have to apologize to me for your feelings, no matter what they were.”
I lifted our joined hands and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand. “I’m glad I found you.”
He squeezed my hand. “I’m glad we found each other.”
I handed him a potion. “To Thorvin’s?”
“Hopefully this goes quickly,” Rowan said. “The Lords are a buzzing annoyance right now.”
I grinned. “Maybe we’ll get there and everything is fine.”
Rowan laughed and tilted back the potion, swallowing the contents in one go. I did the same.
“One can wish,” he responded.
A tingle of magic washed over us. I closed my eyes and thought of Thorvin’s Keep.
Not ten seconds after, I opened my eyes to a barren wasteland.
Chapter
Eighteen
Revulsion washed over me, the taint of dark magic seeping into the air and ground all around us. Winter always tinged everything in white and brown, but life was circular and when spring came, the land would rebound. Today, everything looked dead with zero chance of recovery.
