“I feel a thousand years old right now.”
Never said, “Who’s the unicorn?”
“The dickhead in question.Coriven Ravenock.”
Never whistled.“I hadn’t heard he was engaged.”
“He was waiting until he finished his twenty-five years as head of the Corudet XIA.Then, he had all the time he wanted to start a family.My sister charmed him.Literally charmed him.He doesn’t remember me, us, nothing.So, that’s it.”
Elida said softly, “Why don’t you break the charm?”
“They used my blood to do it, for that reason.”
Elida frowned.“Where would they have gotten it?”
“My last period before this all kicked off.It was home, right?Why wouldn’t it be safe in my own home?”She smiled.
Elida looked at her and said, “Aida, why don’t you sit?”
“I am dirty.I am covered with dirt.I don’t want to touch anything.”
“Where did you sleep, hon?”
Aida pointed to the corner, where a duffel bag was lying.“Over there.”
Elida got up and walked over to Aida, wrapping her in a hug.There were a few slow starts, and then Aida was holding on as a storm of emotion ripped through the woman.
Fire moved over them both from foot to head, cleaning Aida’s hair back to its normal, shining brown.
Elida asked, “Do you want something to eat?”
“I would.”
“How long has it been?”
“Uh...I don’t know.I have been foraging.”
“Oh, honey.Come with me.”She kept her arms around Aida and turned toward the house.The bolt of magic struck them, and Aida collapsed to the ground.Wymol pulled Elida away.
Two more hunters entered the backyard, one of them with his glove smoking.
Never growled.“No fucking way.”She put wards up around Aida.
There was the sound of hoofbeats, and Elida looked at the portrait.Wymol gathered her back against him and murmured, “I called him and told him to remove any charms, no matter how precious.He tore a rift a few blocks away.”
The thundering got deafening, and the hunters looked nervous.
Elida gasped as a monster of a unicorn pounded around the corner of the house.“I thought they were smaller.”
Wymol chuckled.“Ravenock is a herd master with no herd.”
“You know him.”
“Of course.I do business in Corudet.”
They watched, and the hunters faced down the unicorn.Never said calmly, “The designation of fugitive was made by those who mean her harm.Check the original filing.I did.No parent has the right to call a child of fugitive for non-filial action, but that is the warrant.”
The scowling hunters looked at their phones with glances and at the furious unicorn.
