Page 41 of Shift of Morals
“Evangeline.” Her voice turned deadly.
“Forty seconds,” I said.
“You are being a terrible host,” Cliona said.
“I never claimed to be a good one. Thirty seconds.”
“This is not over. I will return in twenty-four hours.”
“And my answer will be the same. No. Fifteen seconds.”
Our gazes clashed, magic swirling in the fathomless depths of my mother’s eyes.
“Five seconds,” I said with a smile.
Cliona disappeared in a puff of golden smoke.
No one breathed for the next several seconds until we were sure she was gone. I sagged back to the couch and exhaled.
“Fuck me,” Ash breathed.
“Your mom is a fucking bitch,” Moira said, making me laugh.
Caelan stared at all of us, a curious expression on his face. “So…half goddess, Evie?”
I didn’t like the way he was looking at me, part possessive and part cunning.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Caelan sauntered uninvited over to the coffee pot and made himself a cup, but just as I was about to bitch at him about it, he poured two cups and brought one over to me. I’d drunk far too much caffeine today, but I accepted it gratefully and curled my freezing fingers around the warm mug.
“I assure you, it matters very much.”
Ash and Moira scattered to the back as Caelan sat opposite me in the same spot my mother had just vacated.
“Does anyone else know?” he asked as he sipped his coffee.
Ben knew the gods had visited me, but he didn’t know of our relationship.
“Not that I’m aware of.” I studied him. “So tell me, Lord. How will you use this against me?”
A flicker of a smile. “You assume the worst of me.”
“Am I wrong?”
He didn’t deny it, and I didn’t expect him to. “The other Lords would pay dearly for this information.”
“And will you sell it to them?”
He took far too long to answer. And just when I wondered if I should go to the Otherworld to see what my mother was hiding,Caelan shook his head. “No. The secrets of your heritage are safe with me.”
“What do you want in return?”
Caelan laughed. “Have we always been this transactional, Evie?”
A dumbfounded snort escaped me. “Have you forgotten about our short history, Lord?”
“Caelan,” he growled. “We are in private.”
