Page 72 of Shifting Winds
“At any given moment of the day, I have approximately four hundred and twenty-six things on my mind.”
Simone blinked. “Weirdo. What’s going on?”
“We can’t tell you all the cool stuff because you’ll tattle to Caelan,” Moira said.
Simone’s lips thinned. “Mean.”
“But true,” I added. “Sorry. As long as you’re linked to him, we can’t be true blue besties.”
“I don’t tell him everything,” she said.
“But if he compelled you to, you would have to spill, wouldn’t you?”
Simone glared at me. “Fine. I get it. Are you okay, at least?”
“She’s fine,” Ash interjected.
I almost laughed. Shifters couldn’t tell when a dryad lied to them, something we’d discovered a long time ago. Whether it was because his genetic makeup was mostly earth or what, Ash could claim pink bunny rabbits had come in on spaceships and no one would be able to sniff out a lie.
Simone’s eyes narrowed. “Are you lying?”
“Not at all,” he said. “I looked at the wound when I got here. She’s healing well. By tomorrow, I think she’ll be on light duty.”
She slowly shook her head. “Caelan made it sound like you wouldn’t be up and about for days. He’s usually not wrong.”
“There’s no way he knows what’s going on inside me unless he has x-ray vision.” I smiled and hoped she didn’t push it.
“I’ll let Caelen know you’re doing better.” She rose and took her plate to the sink to rinse off. “I’ll get out of your hair. I’m sure you’re tired.”
Moira’s eyes widened a little as she got up behind Simone. “I can walk you out.”
When they disappeared out the door, I closed my eyes and sank into the couch.
Tess let out a warbly sigh. “She’ll figure out what happened to Gianna. Simone’s too smart not to.”
“Let me just dream for a little while,” I said dramatically.
Moira came back in and sagged against the door. “Too close,” she said with a groan. “Caelan needs to head Nadia off at the pass.”
“I’ll call him later,” I promised. We needed to talk anyway.
Ash and Tess sat across the room from each other. Tension still sang in the air between them, but it wasn’t as much as before. “And you two?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”
Moira grinned. “That’s our Evie. Not much subtlety with her, is there?”
Ash snorted. “Tess and I talked. Time will help.”
Tess nodded. “I know I have a lot of things to work on to be…normal.”
Ash paled. “Tess. No. That’s not what I meant at all.”
I shot him a disapproving look. What had they talked about? “None of us are normal. The best we can do is pretend.”
“Ash said I talk about death too much and it makes people uncomfortable.”
“Ash,” Moira said, a disapproving note in her voice. Her lips thinned. “Tess, you’re a banshee. Death is the family business. None of us expect you to be anything other than what you are.” Her eyes lingered on Ash. “Right, bark boy?”
Ash’s stricken expression tugged at my heart. “Of course. Tess.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I never meant to imply you were less or abnormal.”
