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“Scouts.”
“You weren’t kidding about the methodical part.”
“His goal is to make the path to his prey as seamless as possible. As I said, he has no interest in the thrill of the chase. His only desire is the outcome. To see the devastation he’s wrought. Makes him feel like a god.” Her face darkened. “And we cannot allow him that satisfaction.”
I climbed onto the front porch and sat. “I have an unrelated question for you. Which entities are associated with a rose?”
“Entities? As in a company or organization?”
“Or beings like the Moirai … the Fates.”
Matilda regarded me for a quiet moment. “Tell me what’s happened,” she whispered.
“Nothing. I’m researching the rose as a mythological symbol, and it’s proven to be a popular one.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why the Fates?”
“Because they’re not quite goddesses. I figured entity was a more accurate term because it encompasses more than deities.”
“This is clearly more than nothing, but if you don’t wish to tell me, I won’t force you.” She clucked her tongue. “After all I’ve done for you, yet you still don’t trust me.”
“It isn’t about trust. It’s about protection. I don’t understand the significance yet, and I don’t want to endanger you by sharing the information too soon.”
“Your grandfather has a lot to answer for,” she muttered.
“Pops did the best he could with the situation he was given. I didn’t raise the subject to provoke an argument. If you don’t have any suggestions, let’s forget I even asked. The Wild Hunt should be the priority right now anyway.”
“Quite true, especially with the white stag still on the loose. Have you assembled my team? We should start seeking the stag in earnest. Our greatest advantage right now is that Vortigern doesn’t know of its presence.”
My stomach churned. “What if we don’t manage to find the stag before him?”
Matilda’s eyes frosted over. “Then may the gods help us all.”
CHAPTER 9
Iawoke the next morning with my cheek in a puddle of drool and the sensation of someone stroking my hair. I whipped onto my back as Claude skittered across the bed.
“Bad revenant! What are you doing?”
Claude’s fingers lowered in humiliation, prompting a wave of guilt.
“Don’t look at me like that. You scared the shit out of me.”
The hand flattened on the blanket.
I sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”
Claude’s fingers remained sprawled.
“And you’re not a bad revenant. I didn’t mean that either.”
Peace restored. Claude scampered closer and I held up a finger. “That doesn’t mean I want you touching me in my sleep. That’s not cool.”
Claude explained that he was only trying to comfort me because I was tossing and turning in my sleep.
“I appreciate your concern, but in the future, I need you to stay outside my bedroom unless I explicitly invite you to come in.”
The revenant’s fingers moved up and down in acknowledgement of my request.
