“I got a little tangled up with an Alven. I didn’t even realize how much time had passed.” She shifts her attention to me.
“Who’s Alven?” I grouse, but I’m too curious to stay mad.
“Not who, darling, what. Alven are water fae,” she tells me, and moseys over near the chair I was sitting on.
“Is that a Brownie?” Torin asks out of the side of his mouth, as if she can’t hear him.
“Aeson’s the name, wolf. You’re charmed, I’m sure.” With quick, deft movements, she grapples her way up the table leg and perches on the top, examining Gunnar’s knives. “Nice craftsmanship. Not Brownie, but eh…”
I fall back into my chair. “Was this a good tangled or bad?”
Aeson turns to look at me slowly as if my question is absurd. “Good for all parties involved.” She winces. “Except that chap who couldn’t walk, he may recover though.” She shrugs and hops over to my thigh.
“How’d you know where we were?”
“Samson. He checked in with the boys,” Aeson answers, then perches herself on the arm of the chair opposite from Grim. I look over at him.
“You sent Samson to them?” I swoon. He’s so thoughtful.
Torin leans a little closer to Gunnar. “Is this kind of thing normal?”
“Just thank the stars she’s here and you aren’t at her place,” Gunnar retorts.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I glare at him.
“Most people don’t have Nettle Rats living in their pantries, or the crooked man stopping over for a visit. Don’t even get me started on Uncle.”
“Are we going to go over this again? He’s a sweetie,” I defend.
“Maybe toyou, but I’m sure there are many others who would disagree.” Gunnar lifts his arms. “I’m just saying, being around Dami, it’s a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected.”
“The crooked man?” Torin looks around, waiting for someone to explain.
“Unless you want him to visit your nightmares, it’s better not to ask,” Calix mumbles.
I click my tongue. “You’re being dramatic.”
“I’m really not,” Calix counters.
“Want to tell me why you’re in Savannah in the late summer?” Aeson makes a show of wiping her brow of nonexistent sweat.
“Antonio,” I sneer.
“Oh, so the slippery fuck is in town?” Aeson taps her hand on her thigh, and I can see the scheming glint in her eyes.
“He may be,” Grim confirms.
“Well, it looks like I arrived just in time.”
Chapter 17
“Funny how we can be clear across the country, and everything is just the same.” I look out over the crowd of bodies dancing and drinking.
“Did you expect it to be different?” Calix wraps his arm around my waist, and I lean back against him.
“I think I did. Lame, huh?”
“Not lame, sweetheart.” His hand wanders a little farther down my body and I don’t stop him, not even when he slides his fingers between my legs.
