Bitterroot huffed out an annoyed breath. “I do not understand humans!”
Wasn’t that the truth? Meanwhile, Laddin was offering up a small bag of supplies. “Um, did you want this? It’s got formula and a diaper—”
“I will not put plastic on my child!” Bitterroot huffed, and damn if Bruce didn’t stiffen at themy childpart. “Only spun silk will touch his skin.”
“In a diaper?” Laddin asked, his voice incredulous.
“Even so,” Bitterroot announced, and then, in a flash, he was gone, along with the pixie baby.
Everyone stood still for a moment—a very long moment—as they looked around at one another. The same question was on everyone’s face. Was it over? Was there anything more to do?
It was the director who answered as he tucked the frozen butterfly into his jacket pocket.
“All done,” he said gravely. “You got him to swear that it was over. And thanks to this…” He held up another frozen insect. It was the brown moth. Bruce had no idea when he’d caught it. “…he’s promised to cherish that child and not bargain for another one.” He looked at Laddin. “Good call there getting him to say that.”
Laddin nodded. Then he looked back toward the house. Bruce took his cue, and they started the long slog back to the house—though it was not so much a walk as a jog. They both wanted to make sure the real Aaron was safe and sound.
Josh trotted beside them, easily keeping pace. “So what was that that you gave the fairy asshole? A clone? Simulacrum? Doppelganger?”
Bruce frowned at his brother. “What makes you think it wasn’t Aaron?” Hell, he’d choked up enough over the fake Aaron that he’d almost caughthimselfbelieving the lie.
“Please,” Josh said. “This from the man who stalked me after a family dinner, took fairy fruit, and then turned himself into a werewolf, all so we could talk? You’ve never bailed on anything in your life. I didn’t believe for a second that you’d let go of your own son.”
Bruce stared at him, shock rolling through his system. “You knew? The whole time?”
“Of course I knew. I thought you’d get that when I said it was your style. It’sneverbeen your style.”
“I know!”
“They why would you think I wouldn’t know?”
It was a fair question, but honestly, he had no idea what his brother thought of him now. Certainly he knew what he thought when they were kids, and even a couple of days ago, when Josh said that Bruce ruined everything. But now?
He slowed to a stop to look at his brother. Josh mirrored his movement until they were standing face-to-face.
One by one, the others of their group stopped as well.
“Josh,” Bruce said as he fumbled for words.
Laddin stepped up beside him and translated. “What that means is that he’s so sorry for being a dick when you were kids, but your father made him do it and he wasa kid. He even tried to protect you.”
“I know,” Josh said, his voice subdued.
“You know?”
“Yeah, of course I know. While you were off being interrogated, I called Ivy.”
Their sister? “But—”
“She’s not as stupid as she looks,” Josh said.
“She looks like she’s sharp,” Bruce answered. “A sharpshooter, a sharp observer, and a really sharp Army nurse. They run the hospitals over there, you know.”
Again, Josh rolled his eyes. “I know. That’s what I said. She’s smarter than she looks, and she looks like she’s on the ball.” He took a deep breath. “And she told me things about what Dad did to you. She knows about the vasectomy.”
Bruce’s head snapped up. “What? I never told her.”
“You never told anyone, but she knew. And she said I was an idiot for not looking closer, but that I was forgiven because I’m the youngest and really not that bright.”
