CHAPTER TWENTY

 

I WAS JUST finishing feeding David when a knock sounded on the door. Holding Ava tightly in his arms, Clay headed to the door to open it. He murmured a quick apology that I was still busy and would just need a couple of minutes before he closed the door again. He glanced at me briefly before turning away with pink ears at the fact that I was not completely tucked away yet.

“Who was it?” I asked his back, trying to let his embarrassment—and mine—slide.

“It’s the two fae from before,” he whispered.

“Aiden and Mackenzie?” I asked.

“I think so, yeah.”

“Aiden probably wants me to go meet the púca,” I murmured. “And Mackenzie is probably here to check on Ava.”

“Are you ready for this?” Clay asked as he turned toward me again.

“For what?” I asked with a falsely sincere smile to indicate that I was ready for the lie.

“I’m not sure I am,” he murmured.

“Just be quiet and let me answer the questions,” I said.

“That doesn’t sound like me,” he challenged.

I found myself laughing at the truth in his words. “It’s not really, but I’m sure they’ll understand you being like that given everything that has happened.”

He nodded and released his breath in a loud exhale. “Okay, I’m ready. Or at least, as ready as I’ll ever be.”

We sat on the bed, each holding one of our children. I reached out to hold his hand in a sign of solidarity that I wasn’t sure that I felt.

“Come in,” I called out loudly. My heart beat out a loud tattoo against my ribcage as the door opened and Aiden and Mackenzie walked through it. Aiden’s glare was instantly directed at Clay who steadfastly ignored him and stared at Ava instead. At least he’s not being hostile in return, that would be bad.

“Apologies for the interruption, especially so late,” Aiden said. “I wanted to ensure we are not holding the púca any longer than is absolutely necessary, especially if he is not the threat.” His gaze drifted toward Clay again and lingered for a moment too long. I suppressed a sigh and instead glared at Aiden in response. We were going to have to have serious words if his attitude toward Clay didn’t change. Sure I’d been wrong about some things, but Aiden had been too. Maybe Clay wasn’t the man he used to be, but he wasn’t the person who had launched the attack on the house—of that much I was certain.

Mackenzie obviously felt the tension in the room. “I thought I would use the opportunity to give Ava a once over now that she’s been at the court for a few hours.”

“Mackenzie, you stay with Clay and the fledg—babies,” Aiden shot me an apologetic glance at his near slip-up, “while I take Lynnie to meet with the púca.”

“No,” I said, giving Clay’s hand a reassuring squeeze. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him alone with the children—although I still couldn’t say I would be happy about it either. I just didn’t want him alone with Mackenzie just yet—he needed more of a briefing on their history to ensure he didn’t say something contrary to what Mackenzie knew about him. And us.

“Why not?” Aiden asked.

I had to think of a convincing lie on the spot. “Because Clay will know if that was the same púca that he was chasing in Alaska. If you are willing to allow him a temporary exemption to leave the room, I think it would be beneficial.”

Clay gripped my hand tighter, flashing me a look of panic that I hoped Aiden didn’t notice. I rubbed my thumb along the back of his fingers to let him know that it was okay; I had a plan. The tiny, almost intimate touches and the non-verbal way we were able to communicate even after his confessions sent the ache of loss coursing through me again. It was another reminder of what Clay and I used to have, and what we had to fake as best as we could now.

“I am not certain that is the best idea you have had, Lynnie.”

“If the púca is helping us, then he’ll want to know that Clay’s memories have returned,” I said defiantly. “If he isn’t, then maybe seeing Clay on our side again will make him panic.”

“Unless of course neither of them is truly on our side,” Aiden said. “And they are working together to lull us into a false sense of security before launching an attack on our court. Possibly even on our queen.”

Although his words sent a chill racing through me, I refused to believe that Clay could be part of a bigger conspiracy. The easiest way to destroy Fiona would have been to kill David and Ava, and Clay had saved them. I met Aiden’s gaze and held it with a clear challenge in my return stare. Regardless of the status of Clay’s memories, I was certain he was on our side. For the time being at least. Aiden needed to learn to trust my instincts, or we’d be having some major issues in the not-to-distant future.

Aiden sighed heavily as he broke away from my glare. “Lynnie, I will keep in mind the trials you have been through in the last few months, and for the moment, I will support you if you truly believe that this is the best. However, I reserve the right to have an additional guard accompanying us at all times. I am sure you can understand my desire to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”

“It won’t be necessary,” I said. Aiden opened his mouth, but I shot him a glare to silence him. “But I’m not going to argue either. Not when I have a husband to exonerate and a family to take home.”

Clay released my hand and stood, our daughter still cradled in his arms, and walked over to Mackenzie. “Are you going to be all right with Ava and David?” he asked.

Mackenzie offered him a tight smile. “I am sure I can handle them. I shall examine them both while I wait for you two to return.”

Clay nodded and passed Ava over to Mackenzie before turning back to grab David from me. I met Aiden’s gaze and showed him that I had absolutely no fear as I passed our son across to Clay. Clay carried David across to the crib and laid him inside. By the time he returned to me, I was standing. He slipped his hand into mine, and I tried to ignore the flip-flop that my heart did in response to his touch. I plastered a fake smile onto my face as we followed Aiden out of the room together.

Aiden led us toward a part of the court I’d never visited, deep in the center of the hive-like structure. As another fae guard slipped in behind us, I began to worry about how they were treating the púca. I hoped that because the púca had alerted Aiden to the fate of Ethan and the guards, he was being treated with respect even if he wasn’t being allowed to leave.

“Here we are,” Aiden said eventually with a wave of his hand in the direction of a door.

“Can we go in alone?” I asked, hopeful to speak to the púca without his prying ears listening in.

“I am sure you will agree that I have allowed you significant concessions already. Too many in fact.” He glanced at Clay. “I cannot in good conscience allow that as well.”

I nodded. “I understand. Will you at least let me ask the questions then?”

Aiden nodded and gave me the shadow of a smile. “I think that one I can allow.” I could tell he was trying to mend the rift between us that had opened the moment Clay showed up, gun in hand.

“Shall we see what he knows then?” I asked.

Clay cleared his throat and scrubbed the back of his neck. “Let’s.”

Aiden pushed the door open to reveal a room not completely dissimilar to the one I shared with Clay. It didn’t appear to be a prison cell or lacking anything that the púca might need. It gave me hope that the púca had indeed been well treated and would be willing to cooperate. Glancing around the space, I tried to find the man but instead saw the small black cat sitting among the covers on the bed. Around the cat there was a glowing gold aura.

“Can we please talk?” I asked.

The púca stood, meowed, and then shifted back into the man I’d seen at the market. As he shifted, the black fur from the cat morphed into the same clothing he’d been wearing that day, his golden aura just as pronounced when he was human as it had been when he was a feline.

The man glanced wearily at Clay, and then, as he took in our joined hands, he smiled. “I hoped ya’d get yer fella back.”

He looked back over toward Clay, and his smile fell before his brow creased.

“You knew he was gone then?” I asked, looking for confirmation of my suspicions that he’d been used to deliberately draw Clay into the River Lethe.

The man glanced anxiously between Clay, Aiden, and the other guard with us before stepping closer to me.

“I helped his da lure him ta Alaska,” his voice was almost silent as he spoke, but the Irish brogue I’d heard last time was still thick in each syllable. “I didn’ want ta, but I didn’ have a choice.”

I closed my eyes in pain as the reality of what I’d long suspected before washed over me. Clay’s father was responsible for the heartache that I’d endured for weeks as I wondered about Clay’s safety and had to fend off his attack.

“Why?” I asked when I finally thought I could trust my voice.

“’Cause I had ta.”

“I’m trying very hard to remind myself that your actions today probably saved the lives of people I care about. That’s the only reason I’m even attempting to remain calm right now,” I seethed. “But you need to give me a whole heap more than ‘Because I had to’ if you want me to stay that way.”

“He threatened me wife. Th’ Rain, they killed me sister a few years back, I couldn’t live with it happenin’ to me love too.”

“So you traded my husband for your wife?” Even as I said the words, I wondered if I could actually blame him for the choice. After all, if I’d been given the same ultimatum—a stranger’s life or Clay’s—there wouldn’t have been a choice for me. I would have picked Clay in less than a heartbeat.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, his face inches from mine. “But ya gotta understand, right? As soon as I could, I tried to help ya, I really did.”

“What’s your name?”

A look of surprise crossed his brow by my sudden question, but answered regardless. “Kieran.”

“Well, Kieran, I think, of everyone here, that I’m probably best placed to appreciate where you’re coming from, but only because I would do anything for my husband. Anything. Do you understand that?”

Clay’s hand squeezed mine, and I risked a quick glance at him. He was staring at me with a strange expression on his face. I ignored the look, knowing nothing good would come from questioning him about it with Aiden nearby, and looked back at Kieran who nodded his understanding.

“Did you know what the water would do to Clay?”

“Aye.” Kieran hung his head in shame. “I made sure ta not get any on meself.”

“Because it would affect you too?” I asked, and when he nodded, I continued, “For the same reason you could follow the fairy rings? You’re related to the fae somehow.”

“Me shifts occur on th’ ethereal plane, like th’ fae.”

His gaze flickered back to Clay’s, and something darker showed on his expression as he frowned. I couldn’t help feeling once more that I was missing out on some vital information, but I was too afraid to confront Kieran about it with Aiden in the room.

Whatever it was, I was certain Clay would have known—the real Clay at least. I wanted to turn to Clay, grab him by the shoulders, and shake him until his memory returned, but I knew it would be useless. “It’s how I knew which brother would be most affected. I looked for th’ stronger aura.”

Clay flinched beside me, and I knew if I glanced toward him, he’d be assessing the wispy blue light that surrounding his body. He wisely chose to stay silent though. If we were going to continue the façade that his memories had returned, he couldn’t be asking questions about his aura while other people were around.

“Once he was in the water, I raced back ta try ta find me wife.”

“Raced back where?”

“Base camp. One of his da’s friends was there, name starts with a T.”

“Terry?” Clay asked, his jaw flexing with stress as he forced the two syllables from his lips.

“That’s it. He had her. He had Laura, and he were gonna kill her if I didn’ do what they asked.”

“Where is she now?”

His gaze was fiery when it flashed back to mine. “Safe.”

I nodded and tried to smile. “I’m glad.”

“I wasn’t intending on hurting either of ya; I just canna live without her.”

Squeezing Clay’s hand, I offered Kieran a warmer smile. “I understand. Do you know where either Troy or Terry is now?”

He shook his head.

“I do,” Clay said.

His words were like an electric shock through me. Until that moment, I hadn’t even given a thought to the fact that Troy wouldn’t have hidden his location from Clay because he thought Clay was on his side. Would he help us to find Troy to limit the damage he could do?

There wasn’t much more I wanted to know from the púca. He was nothing more than a pawn in Troy’s game to get his family back—a game that had almost killed me and my children. Equal parts of me wanted to see Kieran punished for what he’d done to Clay and released for saving Ethan’s life. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to make the final call on his guilt or innocence.

“Do to him whatever you have to,” I said to Aiden. “But bear in mind that he likely saved the lives of your guards and your cousin, and he tried to warn me about Clay’s return before the attack. The real threat in all of this is Troy.”

“I really am sorry, Miss,” Kieran said.

“I know, but it doesn’t change what you did.” Part of me hated him, even though I could understand the circumstances under which he’d made his choice. Regardless, he’d still made it. And it had cost me so much.

 

WITHIN HALF an hour, Clay and I were back at our room with Aiden in tow. Louise met us by the door and instantly drew Clay into a hug.

“I heard you were back,” she said to him before glancing at me with a look to indicate her words were intended to convey more meaning than they seemed.

Clay glanced between her and me with a look of confusion on his face. For a brief moment, I watched with dread, hoping that Aiden hadn’t seen it, but then I realized that the confusion could easily be passed off as something else.

“It’s weird isn’t it,” I murmured to Clay. “Seeing your sister and me on friendly terms. I bet you’d never expected that. It’s probably one good thing to come out of all of this.”

“Never.” He gave me a thankful, knowing smile and a small nod.

“Would you like to come in to meet your niece and nephew?” I asked. It was still odd to be cordial to Louise. After our last conversation though, I was willing to try to put the past in the past and invite her into our family.

“Yeah, I really would,” she said as she scrubbed the back of her neck.

I had to stop myself from smiling at her use of the nervous habit I’d seen Clay do more times than I could remember. It was a tiny action but a reminder that they had once shared so much and had so much in common despite everything.

Without waiting to be invited, Aiden followed us into the room where Mackenzie cradled Ava in her arms. Mackenzie turned to us with a concerned look on her face.

“What is it?” I asked, leaping forward to her side.

“David is flourishing, just as I thought he would.”

“But Ava’s not?” Clay asked from inches behind me, making me acutely aware that he’d followed closely behind me in concern. His voice echoed with worry, and I had to remind myself that it was all an act for Aiden.

“Her aura is not as strong as it was when we arrived. She is quite healthy still, but the toll of being on the ethereal plane is beginning to wear on her body. She will not be able to stay here for long.”

“Then we’ll go home,” I said, glancing back at Clay to see whether he agreed.

“No,” Aiden said. “Clay is unable to leave the court until we have arranged for a Tribunal to decide on his fate.”

“He won’t hurt anyone else,” I said. “I personally guarantee it.”

“You also thought that he would not attempt to hurt you.”

“And he didn’t, did he?”

Aiden’s gaze fell to the litany of cuts, bruises, and bandages that covered my arms, shoulder, and throat. When he met my eyes again, his broken brow was raised skeptically.

I rolled my eyes. “When it mattered most, he didn’t hurt me.”

“Lynnie—”

“No! I don’t want to hear it. Clay is back, and that’s all there is to say about it. Either you give us your support or . . .” I trailed off. I didn’t want to give Aiden an ultimatum. I owed him more than that for everything he’d done, especially when the choice was based on a lie I continued to perpetuate.

“Or what exactly?” Aiden asked. His tone was just as dangerous as mine, proving he was as unwilling to back down as I was.

I closed my eyes. We’d both changed so much since we’d first met. Then, we’d been so young and naïve. Above everything else though, Aiden had been ridiculously optimistic and willing to see the good in everyone. Somewhere along the way, he’d lost that part of himself. He’d become battle wearied. He’d lost that innocence at least in part because of me.

“Please don’t make me choose between your friendship and Clay,” I whispered. I didn’t want to add that it would always be Clay, because Aiden knew it as well as I did without me having to voice the painful words.

My heart clenched as I realized the toll my lies could potentially have. It was bad enough that I had to betray the people I considered family and friends to save Clay from harm. I didn’t want to shut them out of my life completely. Especially when we’d already decided that Clay would leave once he was safe from persecution and I would need their support again.

It may have made me selfish, but even if I were given the chance to change my decisions, I wouldn’t do anything differently if it would guarantee Clay’s safety.

“Aiden, I think it would be best if you leave,” Clay said, stepping closer to me and wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I tried not to flinch or enjoy it too much—although both extremes battled in my head and heart. “Evie and I need to plan our return home.”

“You are in no position to make any demands at present.”

“I’m not, and I understand that, but Evie doesn’t need to suffer because of my mistakes.” He drew my body against his so that my face rested against his chest.

My eyes drifted closed as I breathed in his achingly familiar scent. Before I understood why, tears had sprung to my eyes, and I was sobbing against Clay’s shirt. Although he was physically in my arms, Clay wasn’t back. That knowledge, mixed with the exhaustion of the long day, was too much for me to handle. Heartbroken and almost ready to admit defeat, I gathered myself together and pulled away from his embrace.

Mackenzie placed Ava in the crib and then moved to Aiden, resting her hand on his shoulder.

“The last few weeks have been long, for all of us.” She assessed both Clay and me. “I am certain Mother will allow Clay the concession of returning home on the proviso that he doesn’t return without an invitation and does not leave their house.”

“I agree,” Louise said, shifting to place her hand on Clay’s shoulder.

“Fine,” Aiden murmured. “However, if anything slightly untoward occurs, he will face an immediate return to the court and instant punishment. I will also require that he make himself immediately available to convene with a Tribunal the instant we are organized.”

“I can agree to that,” Clay said.

“We shall give you some time alone with Louise, but then you need to get some sleep. I think Ava should be okay for a couple of days, but whenever you are ready, we will take you home,” Mackenzie said.

“Thank you,” I mouthed to her, and she gave me a small smile.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Mackenzie said. “We got one of these to make things a bit easier.” She pushed a double stroller out from beside the cot. “Aiden went out for it earlier.”

I glanced up at Aiden but wasn’t able to look at him for long without a stab of guilt striking my stomach. I couldn’t even meet his eyes. The stroller was an unexpected gesture of kindness; learning of it after I’d basically threatened him with ending our friendship left me feeling queasy. I mumbled out a thanks and hated that I was being such a bitch to him when he really only had my best interests—the best interests of my children—at heart.

Almost the instant the door shut behind Aiden and Mackenzie, Louise turned on Clay and me. She narrowed her eyes and her softer appearance fell away to be replaced by the shrewd hunter she’d been before learning the truth of her past. Her wings fluttered with irritation. “Okay, what gives?”