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With my declaration, I turn and stroll back toward the cabin, with James and Orym in tow. I hate turning my back on her, because I know she fights dirty, but I’m not really scared of her anymore. I just need time to figure out how to counter her attacks. If I can come up with an antidote to the powder she just used on my father, I’ll be able to stop her.
I can’t let her take anyone from me. I won’t give up the people I love. I refuse to even hand over the father I’ve never known, no matter how easy it would be. I’m still so conflicted about my feelings for him, that I’m not sure I’d be too upset if he had gone with her. But he would make a powerful ally for her, and that would be disastrous.
So, I turn my back on my aunt, bracing for an attack that never comes. James, Orym, and I walk into the cabin to find Trevan fighting against Luca’s hold while Ry ties him to a chair. This will be fun.
“Trevan,” I say, trying to get his attention. He’s writhing as if he’s in pain. I wonder if it’s something in the powder that makes him need to be near her.
JAMES
“Trevan!” Garnet says her father’s name again, but he still doesn’t respond. Ryland and Luca finish tying him to the chair so he can’t escape. Grammy heads to the kitchen to start making some sort of brew that might break the spell. Her explanations are muttered more than voiced.
The anguish on my mate’s face breaks my heart. She falls to her knees in front of the bound man and looks up into his eyes. “Father, please. I need you. Don’t leave me.” The single tear that slides down her cheek seems to be the one thing that gets Trevan’s attention.
“Oh, child. I would never leave you. I had a sudden urge to help Amber. Damned love potion. It only works on people who aren’t already in love. So, it didn’t make me think that I love her. But it did make me sympathetic to her cause. We must make sure no one gets hit with that again.” He shudders as if it was a horrible experience.
“I’m so glad you’re back. Maybe Grammy can come up with something to keep that potion from working in the future,” Garnet offers.
At the mention of Grammy’s name, Trevan turns toward the kitchen. He’s trying to get a glimpse of her, and it’s pretty obvious that he’s concerned about her reaction to what just happened. “Is she okay?”
“Do you and Grammy have something going on?” Garnet whispers to her father. If I wasn’t standing so close, I wouldn’t be able to hear their conversation.
Trevan’s cheeks redden, and he dips his head. “I didn’t want you to find out like this. She’s the first woman I’ve cared for since your mother. I hope that you are okay with it. She’s concerned that you won’t approve.”
Garnet throws her arms around her father’s shoulders and hugs him. “I definitely approve. But only if you treat her well. She’s the only reason I survived my childhood, and I will not have her mistreated. Do you understand me?” Her words are low, but they carry the force of her threat. I’m convinced, as is Trevan, that she means it.
He nods his head. “I would never do anything to hurt her.”
“That’s good to hear, because we’re all rather fond of her,” I say, taking a step closer so the others don’t hear me. His cheeks turn red again, and it’s clear that he didn’t realize I could hear their conversation. I am only human, after all.
“Well, we have more information than we did earlier. I don’t know how helpful it will be. Is she still out there?” Garnet turns to Ryland and points her question at him. He opens the curtain and shakes his head.
“Looks like she left. She didn’t even bother to put the tree back. Bitch,” he says, venom dripping from his words.
“I think I can help with that, if you would be so kind as to untie me,” Trevan offers with raised eyebrows.
LUCA
“You can put the tree back the way it was?” I’m shocked at his claim, and not sure I believe him. Ryland and I exchange a glance as Orym unties him.
“I am capable of a great many things, boy. As is your mate, if she chooses to use her magic that way,” he says.
“I don’t even know what magic I would use for that. But I’m interested to learn,” Red responds to him.
“Follow me. You can watch and learn,” Trevan offers. Red nods and follows him outside. I’m still on edge from Amber’s visit, so there’s no way I’m letting Red out of my sight.
Ryland, James, and Orym must all feel the same way, because they follow us outside too. We stand behind our mate as her father uses his magic to lift the downed tree and put it back in the ground as if nothing ever happened. I don’t believe it will stay. There’s no way he could use magic to fix all the roots that had been torn apart when Amber knocked that tree down.
“Good as new. Or old, I guess,” Trevan insists. He turns to me as if he can read my skepticism. “Climb it if you don’t believe me.”
I share a glance with the others, then stroll toward the tree. If it’s sturdy, I’ll owe him an apology. If the tree doesn’t hold me, I’ll kick his ass. Either way, I’m okay with it. I shake myself from head to toe as I approach the tree. I’m honestly a little nervous that it’s going to come down on top of me. With a deep breath, I reach for a branch and pull myself up. So far, so good.
I continue to climb the tree, anxiously waiting for it to topple over. It doesn’t. Instead, it feels solid. This Fae man has actually put the tree back as if Amber had never been here. To say I’m impressed is an understatement. “It feels solid,” I call down to the others from high in the tree.
“I can’t believe you doubted me, boy,” Trevan says back.
“My apologies, Trevan. I didn’t think you could repair the roots so easily,” I answer, dropping from the tree and rolling.
“That will be a handy skill to have, even after we deal with Amber,” Orym says. I nod in agreement. Ryland just stares at the tree, as if he’s inspecting it without going near it.
