Page 22 of Touched

Ma fixes me with a stern look that clearly says I’ve crossed a line.

“I’m sorry, Da. I mean no disrespect. It’s just… I don’t understand.”

Da inhales deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose, a ritual of patience, before replying. To save myself from digging this hole any deeper, I silently count the rhythm of his breathing. I wish I had a brain-to-mouth filter. “Aeris, we’ve gone over this before. Countless times. Glamor serves as our veil, keeping us hidden from human eyes while we restore the Earth. Young ones are allowed toobservehumans fromafarto learnwhywe maintain our distance. And only when supervised. Glamor is never meant to allow us tominglewith humans. Fae do not consort withmortals.” The disgust in the word causes anger to flood into me.

“But why? Besides, he’snotfully human.” The words tumble out before I can snatch them back. My hand claps over my mouth, futilely attempting to take back the words I just uttered aloud.

A single brow arches on Da’s forehead and his jaw clenches.

I quickly get the words out. “I read that our Glamor doesn’t work on mythical creatures. So, hecan’tbeentirelyhuman.”

Da crosses his arms, his glare slicing through the room, pinning me to the spot where I stand. His lips compress and his nostrils flare as he glowers at me.

Ma, maybe seeing an opportunity for diplomacy, interjects. “Perhaps we should consider Aeris safe and agree that she has learned a valuable lesson today, Aren.” Her eyes meet mine, and the message is clear.

Enough! Stop this nonsense now!

Reluctantly, I bob my head in agreement. There’s no point arguing further. I have no other words to say that won’t get me into even hotter water. I definitely can’t spill that Callum confessed his Sylph blood to me. “May I be excused?”

“Yes. To your room.” Da dismisses me with a wave of his hand and turns his attention back to Ma.

As I retreat to the sanctuary of my bedroom, a sigh of relief escapes me. There’s more reading to be done. And maybe, just maybe, some answers to be found.

* * *

“Aeris!” I bellow, my voice joining the cacophony of the sudden storm that swept seemingly out of nowhere. It mimics the deep, booming voice, I swear I heard moments before her hand was yanked from mine.

Fucking storm!

Storm, yeah right!

That was a fucking pop-up hurricane. Which is damn near impossible. But I swear that’s exactly what that was.

What the hell just happened?

Narrowing my eyes, I strain to glimpse Aeris amidst the turmoil. It seems like she’s vanished into thin air, a concept that defies logic.

Sure, she confessed to being a fairy, but...

I shake my head, vehemently dismissing the absurdity. “Damn it all to hell!” Her hand slipped from my grasp, and just like that, she disappeared. Swallowed up by the elements, leaving no trace behind.

Adrenaline surges, propelling me toward my truck. Doubt gnaws at my insides.

What can I fucking do?

I’m flying fucking blind here!

I have no knowledge of her whereabouts or hint of understanding what just unfolded before my eyes. Still, I know I can’t stand idle. I have to do something.

The sudden transition from chaos to calm leaves an uneasy knot in my stomach. The same detective instincts that serve me on the gritty streets of New Orleans are screaming at me now. Something isn’t right. But all physical evidence of the surreal incident is rapidly disappearing, along with the rapidly dissipating storm clouds. All that remains to show it was ever here is an echo of the panic surging through me.

I stare at the keys in my hand, the metallic jingle sounding unusually loud in the post-storm silence. My mind races through potential scenarios, turning over theories and hunches with the precision and relentlessness that has earned me a reputation in the department. But nothing in my experience as a young beat cop, and now a detective, has prepared me for this.

My gaze flicks back to the empty space where Aeris had been just moments ago. Her disappearance, the sudden storm, it doesn’t add up. And I hate unsolved puzzles. My protective instinct intensifies, a forceful drive that usually brings me face-to-face with the city’s worst. But now, it’s pushing me toward something far more unfamiliar and terrifying: the unknown.

How the hell am I supposed to track down a Feu Follet?

Resting my back against my truck, I slam my fist into the door panel, the jarring vibration echoing my frustration. Once storm-ridden and menacing, the glow of the bright sun in the sky above me matches the ethereal golden hue of Aeris’s eyes.

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