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She shrugged, but something flickered in her gaze before asking, “Can we help with dinner?”
Nova slid off Leaf’s lap. “Yes, actually. I have a few ideas but need help with… I guess everything else. Where do we find ingredients? And the kitchen?”
The women all stood and invited Nova to go with them. She kissed his cheek before going and whispered loudly, “Don’t worry,Papi. I’m sure you’ll be fine without me.”
“Hmm, yes,” Laurel added, smirking at him. “I’m sure they won’t be angry that you’ve been hiding a very big secret.”
Leaf’s lips parted, but they left, chatting like old friends. He’d have marveled at how easily the women adjusted if he weren’t dealing with a pack of angry Guardians. A flash of concern remained for his mate, and he vowed to keep an eye on her through their bond. If she felt threatened for one second, he would find her.
“So, what the fuck?” Thorne growled, his brows lifting.
Rush stared at Leaf, his dark brows lowering.
Forrest said, “How long have you known?”
“Only days,” he replied.
“You expect us to believe you hadno cluebefore then?” Sarcasm dripped from Cloud’s voice as he emerged from the shadows of the unused dining room.
His unimpressed gaze swept up and down Leaf’s body. He wore the same battle leathers as the previous night. Leaf could tell by the splash of dried blood on his cheek and arm.
“Good,” he said, standing. “You’re here. Tell your taloned friends to be at dinner tonight.”
“That’s it?” Thorne tossed his hands in the air. “You’re just going to pretend this is nothing?”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Cloud cocked his head. “Seems all he does these days is nothing.”
Leaf sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have zero recollection of being that person, and I likely never will. Anything I glean is from the journals or Nova’s memories. Now, if you’re ready to pull your heads from your rear ends, I have the answer to how we unmake Maebh.”
He crossed to the front door but found Ash quietly watching. The crow shifter’s dark eyes didn’t blink. Dark hair lifted from his shoulders as though a gust of wind had passed through the room. But no windows were open.
“Not much time between last night and now,” Ash pointed out dryly. “Considering the entire house heard how busy you were, I’m not sure how you had time to find this answer… or were you keeping the secret all along?”
Danger fizzed through the air, lifting the hairs on Leaf’s arms. He stared the crow shifter down and said, “If you’re accusing me of something, spit it out.”
“You could have mentioned this at the Council meeting,” Cloud said. “But you didn’t. What else are you keeping from us?”
Leaf glanced over his shoulder and saw River had returned. In his leathers now, ready to intimidate. This little confrontation must have been pre-mediated. Considering the others weren’t defending Leaf, they also distrusted him. He was surprised Shade hadn’t found a way to join in this ambush. Taking Leaf down a notch was his favorite pastime.
“Fine,” Leaf said, returning to Cloud because he’d rather face a stab in his back. The crow was far from Maebh or Crimson’s age, but his obsessive tendencies started showing. Leaf wanted to tell him what fate awaited him if he didn’t change his priorities, but he knew the crow wouldn’t listen. Only his two-winged friends might stand a chance at swaying his mind. But that was a problem for tomorrow.
“Maebh is mad,” he said.
“Tell us something we don’t know,” River muttered.
“Aleksandra’s heart has become stone,” Leaf continued. “It seems Crimson was on the same path as Maebh. His journals increasingly grew fixated on finding his lost love and an artifact he believed would protect the Well, once and for all.”
“Was this the missing prophecy you hunted for?” Rush narrowed his eyes.
“No,” Leaf admitted. “This was all in the journals if anyone bothered to read them. I don’t think the missing prophecy had anything to do with us but pertained to Aleksandra’s death. She knew it was coming and planned for it. She told me I would find a way to relive Crimson’s memories once I brought my mate to her… I took that as being about the prophecy, but as you saw with Nova’s freckles, I can experience some of her memories, including the ones with Crimson.”
“I’m still waiting to hear something new.” Cloud’s scarred eyebrow raised. “Like why we should trust your mate to be in the same room as us.”
A small snort of disbelief puffed out of Leaf. He shook his head and raised his brows. Now he knew why the crows had avoided meeting Nova.
“That’s ironic, coming from you,” Leaf said. “Nova is why we have information that could help us save the Well. She’s also revealed something that sheds doubt on your previous truths about Aurora.”
“Bullshit.” Cloud’s eyes sparked with lightning.
