The fox hopped into my lap and curled up, wrapping his tail around his fluffy body. He huffed and closed his eyes.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Been busy?”
He cracked an eye open. Was there a hint of accusation in his eyes?
“Things are weird around here,” I confessed. “I haven’t had a lot of time to go onto Cernunnos’s lands.” Nor had I wanted to exactly.
Fatigue pulled at me, the lack of food and blood starting to make itself known. I unscrewed the top of my thermos and poured some tea into the attached cup. Ember popped his fuzzy head up and sniffed at the cup. Finding it lacking, he snorted and laid his head back down.
“Snob,” I said fondly.
Ember sniffed, nudging my hand when he spotted the bag of cookies.
“You’re not allowed to have chocolate.”
“He’s a magical fox, Moira,” Evie said with cool amusement. “Give that fox a cookie.”
“You’re awake.” I fed Ember a nibble from the bag, which perked him right up.
He nudged my hand when I ran out.
“Yes, though I’m finding myself having to commune more and more to keep my power levels under control. Taking Danu out wasn’t a mistake, but she left a big vacuum behind. The earth requires more from me than ever.”
Her voice sounded almost wistful.
“You alright, Evie?” Worry speared me. She’d been a little off lately. Nothing terrible. Just…different.
“I’m fine.” She smiled. “I promise. You worry too much. Being the queen is a weird experiment I’m not sure I love. It makes me a little maudlin.”
She reached over and scratched Ember behind the ears. “You here to see the body?”
I grimaced. “Does it smell any better?”
“I put Mom in charge of corpse duty.”
We both laughed.
She stood and wiped the seat of her pants off. “Come on. I’ll show you where she is. I’m assuming the travel didn’t pay off today?” Her eyes twinkled. “Though I did see a handsome Lord following after you like a little puppy dog.”
My cheeks colored. “He was the Ethan I remembered. Maybe even better.”
Evie’s eyes softened. “I wonder how much she took from him. He doesn’t remember his friendship with Rowan, and I assume it’s because you are so entwined with that friendship your mother thought it best to wipe it away. He doesn’t remember being nice to me and grunts when I try to speak to him.”
Her lips twisted. “Though he’s not antagonistic to me. A little backward from where we were, but progress nonetheless.”
“I hope I can get him back.”
Evie scooted closer and laid her head on my shoulder. “You will. Never doubt yourself.”
“My mother…” I swallowed hard. “She doesn’t know how to give. All she does is take. If she sees something she wants, she becomes a single-minded organism. Her entire life revolves around getting that thing, and it doesn’t matter who has it or who rightfully owns it. She wants it, so it becomes hers.”
Evie wrapped her arm around my waist and scooted so close we were joined hip to hip. “She included you in her desires?”
I shook my head. “It’s not that simple. She didn’t want me. If she could have what I have without gaining me in the process, she’d just take it. But my youth and I are entwined forever. So she needed me to stay alive to take it.”
Evie let out a soft breath. “I’m so sorry your own mother treated you that way.”
“She didn’t count on the vampirism giving me the power to get away. Mother relied on my fear to keep me with her forever.”
