Page 70 of To Stir a Fae's Passion

“It’s okay,” Basil said. “He won’t harm you. Aren’t I right…Father?”

Those amber eyes sparked in a face so similar to the male she loved, and yet so very, very different. Slowly, the demon inclined his head. “Since you…care for her.”

Basil gave him a sharp nod. “Isa,” he then said, “meet my mother, Hazel.”

A flash of warmest joy crossed the witch’s face when he introduced her—and Isa noticed, too, the fact he hadn’t said adoptive—before she stepped closer, smiled at Isa. “It’s good to meet you. Basil will have to tell me all about you.”

“Later,” he said. “First, we need to get Rose.”

Hazel’s expression tensed, the air around her darkened.

“Mom,” Basil rasped. “I know where she is. I’ve seen her.”

“How? Where?”

He shook his head. “I’m not sure how to explain it. When I…went for Isa, I kind of…connected with all fae in Faerie. It’s like I had a direct link into their minds, their thoughts, their memories. There were so many of them, so much information, but I saw…Lily, just different. Someone who looks exactly like her, and—” He frowned. “Witch. I picked up on the word, and it was connected to her.”

Hazel’s lips trembled. “That has to be Rose.” She inhaled sharply, her eyes hardening. “Think you’ve seen enough to lead us to her?”

Basil gave her a grim nod.

“Then let’s go.”

Chapter 27

Merle wiped the latest tears off her cheeks and checked her reflection in the mirror of the passenger side sun visor.

“Is the crying going to continue?” Rhun asked from the driver’s seat. “Because I have to tell you, it’ll make me uncomfortable. I thought after He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named pulled that surprise act, there’d be fewer tears. If this is going to be the new normal, we’ll have to stock up on tissues, little witch.”

She punched him in the shoulder, laughing at the way he undermined his flippant comments with a surge of love along their mating bond. Sniffling, she said, “I’ll be fine. I’m just…I can’t wait to tell Maeve. I hadn’t realized how much it hurt me that I had to keep this from her. She’s going to be an aunt! Oh, gods, she’ll be so thrilled.”

He took her hand, squeezed, and shot her a smile that was an echo of the relief flowing through their shared connection. She felt his burst of happiness when she told him Arawn had paused the deal, and Rhun’s entire soul had brightened as if a crushing pressure had been lifted. Rhun hadn’t wanted to surrender Maeve, she knew that, and he was just as relieved as she to know they wouldn’t have to make the decision now.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded at him, opened the car door, and got out. Rhun joined her, and they walked to the imposing gate of the Murray property. She unlocked it with the spare key she always carried, and they stepped through the wards onto the grounds. The magical protection was calibrated to allow Rhun to pass even though he was a demon, just like Alek and Lily.

Lily’s car was parked in the wide, circular driveway, right next to Alek’s truck.

When they entered the lofty foyer, silence greeted them. Lily and Alek might still be sleeping; as dukhokrad demons, they were nocturnal, spent the day indoors due to their species’ sensitivity to sunlight. Maeve was probably up in her room with her nose buried in a book.

“Lil?” Merle called out. “Maeve?”

“Merle!” Lily’s head appeared over the banister of the landing platform above. “Merle—oh, gods. I was just about to call you.”

“What’s going on?” Merle was already racing upstairs, Rhun hot on her heels.

When she reached Lily, the expression on her best friend’s face made her blood ice over with foreboding.

“What is it?” She grabbed Lily’s hand. “Are you okay?”

“It’s not me,” Lily croaked.

With a trembling hand, she held out a piece of paper. Merle’s pulse thundered in her ears as she took it.

“I got up just a bit ago,” Lily went on. “Maeve didn’t mention she planned to go out, so I thought she’d be in her room as usual, but when I went to say hi to her, I found her room empty, and this note on her bed.”

Merle was barely able to make out the words written on the paper, her hand shook so hard.

I know about the baby, the letter read. I know you didn’t want me to find out, but I’m glad I did. Merle, maybe you don’t want to put me in this position, but it is where I need to be. This is my choice, my responsibility. I never wanted you in that position, never wanted you to have to make these tough decisions because of me. You’ve already done so much for me, risked so much, and I am so, so thankful. Which is why I can’t allow you to risk anything else—anyone else—on my behalf.

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