Page 51 of Shifting Winds
Neit nodded, a calculating look appearing on his face. “She must be blocking me.”
“Can’t imagine why,” I said lightly. “Weren’t you threatening to kill her not too long ago?”
His grin held a feral edge. “Don’t you worry about that.” He rose, carefully setting his mug down. “Thank you for the information. The game continues.”
“Is there something I should know?”
“Not at all, Miss Quinn.” Anticipation gleamed in his eyes. “I will see you soon.”
In a flash of bright violet light, he was gone.
Moira walked out just then, probably sensing the lack of an extra heartbeat and knowing he was gone. “Everything okay?”
I stared at the place where he was standing a moment ago. “He’s looking for Mom.”
“Uh oh.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think he wants to kill her.” A laugh bubbled from me. “If I had to guess, I’d say he still likes her.”
Moira shuddered. “Your mother? But she’s horrible.”
“People lose their mind over beauty,” I said more to myself than her. “That’s why you rarely see terrible people who are beautiful walking around single.”
Moira laughed. “I’ll give you that one. Too bad Cliona’s immortal. She’ll keep stringing all the boys along with those looks for eternity.”
But Neit was different. I felt it in my bones. Not good or bad, the god seemed to be giving my mother a real run for her money, in whatever game they were playing. I just hoped they kept me out of it.
An hour before closing, a woman I’d never seen before stepped into the shop followed by a shifter who didn’t like me very much. They were arguing in hushed voices, his hand on her arm as he tried to stop her from going deeper inside.
Our eyes met. “Hello, Garrett.”
Caelan’s second was tall, blond, and full of muscle. His amber eyes glittered as I spoke. “Evie.” No head nod, no smile. Nothing but an icy greeting.
The woman he was with was short and pretty, and even though I’d never met her before, there was something familiar about her that I couldn’t put a finger on. She had dark hair woven in a neat braid and hazel eyes. Her face was delicate, though the stubborn tilt of her chin and the spark of anger in her eyes told me she was giving Garrett premature gray hair.
She yanked her arm away and straightened her shirt. “Evie. I’m Thalia.”
“Hello, Thalia. Is there something you’re looking for?”
“We were just leaving,” Garrett gritted out.
“No, we are not,” Thalia snapped. “Stop being an asshat and let me look at the flowers.”
My lips twitched as Thalia and Garrett locked eyes in a glaring contest. “How do you two know each other?”
Thalia clicked her tongue. “He’s my unwanted bodyguard.”
A flash of hurt over Garrett’s face. Impossible. The man had no feelings. “I’ve been assigned to your protection,” he spat out. “As much as you hate it, you’re stuck with me.”
“Are you running from the law or something?” Why in the world did this innocent looking young woman need a protector like Garrett?
She snorted. “No. Just an overprotective father.” Thalia rolled her eyes. “I have to drag this guy everywhere.”
That would piss me off, too. Especially if I got stuck with Garrett. “She’s fine here if you want to take a break,” I said to the shifter. “You know as well as I do that I can protect her if something happens.”
“I’m not leaving,” Garrett growled.
Hope flared over Thalia’s face. “Yes! You heard her! Give me twenty minutes.” Her imploring look softened my heart. “For girl talk. And shopping without you snarling about how much everything costs. Please, Garrett.”
