My fingers even hovered over the screen, but I set it on the table with a sigh. “It’s not that easy.”
Axel walked over to me and took one of the other chairs. “Talk to me, cousin.”
“I’m… anxious.” I rolled my shoulders, the admission making me uncomfortable.
“About how we’re going to interview Blake?” He sounded wary, and I shifted in my seat to face him.
“No.” I grabbed his free hand and held it tight. “Never about that. I know you don’t like it and wouldn’t do anything without his full consent.”
Axel held on just as tight. “I wouldn’t. Sometimes I can’t help it here, but through the gateway, I have full control now, and I would never abuse someone like that.”
“I know.”
He relaxed, fingers now loose around mine. “Then what’s bothering you?”
“I’m worried about what we might find out.”
Axel’s heavy sigh told me I wasn’t the only one. “I know in theory they could have used any of the gateways, but Blake Tehlin’s cottage is down the fucking road. You know he’s going to have come through mine.”
“It seems likely.”
“So either I’ve been lying this whole time, or they somehow made me forget.” He growled, frustration rolling off him. “And since I’m the only one who can see into people’s minds,except my own, then we’re fucked.”
I’m fucked, is what he didn’t say, but I heard it anyway.
“No one thinks you’re lying, Axel.” It was the truth, and he knew it too. “And we both know there’s a third version. There are plenty of times when you’re not here.”
“But gateway travel is logged on both sides.”
“Yep.”
He grimaced, and I matched it.
No one wanted to believe that a fae had willingly helped smuggle something as horrific as Blue Alhuirn out of our realm to be used to hurt people. But I strongly believed it was the most likely scenario.
“I guess we’ll find out later.”
“Hopefully,” Axel replied, standing. “I want to put this mess behind me and move the fuck on.”
“I know.” I felt the same, but I was also torn, because solving this investigation meant returning to the Fae Realm for me. I sighed and glanced down at my phone again.
Axel patted me on the shoulder. “Gabriel will be here soon. Follow your instincts and call him. You’ll regret it if you don’t.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him if he’d read my mind, but I swallowed the words because it didn’t matter either way. He was right.
Scrolling down to Nick’s number, I hesitated for a second, then hit Call.
It rang twice, then a rough, sleep-filled voice answered and the relief was immediate.
Fuck.
“It’s Dathal.”
Soft laughter. “I can see that.” He sounded half-asleep, and I belatedly remembered Midnight had been open last night. I bet he didn’t get in until the early hours.
“I’m so sorry for waking you. I forgot you worked last night.”
The rustle of sheets on his end of the call brought to mind all sorts of filthy images that I didn’t need right at this moment. “’S okay. I’m glad you called.”
