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“Any luck?” I asked.

Dad shook his head. “Nothing. You?”

I looped my arm through his. “No, but Tess had a great idea. How about I make you a cup of coffee and tell you?”

Hope flickered in my father’s eyes, the sight of it making my chest squeeze. “Make it hot cocoa and yes.”

I laughed. Dad had taken to some of my human ways over time, especially if those ways involved food. “You got it.”

Rowan walked ahead and held the door open. “Cernunnos,” he said with a dip of his head.

“Lord,” Dad acknowledged.

I stifled my smile. Dad and Rowan weren’t enemies, but my husband wasn’t always his biggest fan. Cernunnos was a proud member of the meddler club, and he’d tried to force Rowan to get involved in my life to force me to act a certain way or take certain actions. When Rowan refused, my father wasn’t quite sure what to make of him.

He had a grudging respect for my mate, but Dad’s ego was far too powerful to let the slight go. So now, there was an odd tension between the two men that still hadn’t abated.

My easygoing husband could not care a whit, which pissed Dad off even more.

“Evie bought the good chocolate for you,” Rowan said as Dad stepped into the house.

A peace offering, small and tentative.

Dad stilled and turned. Silence stretched almost to the point of awkwardness before Dad said, “Care to join me on the patio and share a drink?”

Rowan blinked, the only sign of surprise he’d show. “Of course.”

I hid my smile and went to the kitchen to make us all a hot drink.

A few minutes later, balancing three cups of steaming hot cocoa, I pushed the door open and spotted Dad and Rowan sitting across from each other, engaged in conversation. I almost dropped the mugs in surprise.

Dad glanced at me, rolled his eyes, and lit the firepit with barely a thought. “Come sit beside me, daughter, and tell me what you’ve learned.”

Considering he was closest to the fireplace, I was happy to oblige. Rowan winked at me as I snuggled closer to my dad and told him Tess’s theory.

His eyes narrowed. “Your banshee is underestimated.”

“I’m well aware.” Tess was quiet until she felt like speaking, and when she did, we all made sure we listened.

“None of my animals have seen hide nor hair. Whatever Moira’s mother is doing will leave traces of dark magic.” He sighed and took a sip of his cocoa, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

The God of the Wild Hunt loved whipped cream, so I gave him double.

“The problem is there are thousands of dark magic practitioners all over the world. Narrowing her magic down has proven surprisingly difficult.”

“I’m running low on magic reserves,” I admitted. “This morning’s session ran long.” I looked down at the mug I held. “Stopping each day feels like I’m letting her down.”

Love bloomed through the mating bond. I glanced up to see Rowan looking at me, sadness in his eyes. “Moira is a fighter. I know she’s trying to reach us. One of her messages will make it through.”

I smiled at him, but my heart wasn’t in it. “I hope so.”

Rowan glanced at my father. “And Ethan?”

Cernunnos let out a disgusted snort. “I am well aware of how Moira feels about him, but I find myself unimpressed with the Shifter Lord. His help has been far less than I’d hoped.”

I cleared my throat. “To be fair, he has no idea what Moira meant to him.”

“He suspects,” my father growled.