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“You do?”
“Yes. You saw a vision and became convinced it would come to pass, even though it might not.”
“Pretty much.”
“I’ve fallen for that one myself. While I was travelling in Ireland, I came across a battlefield. I can’t even remember who was fighting, probably some faeries of some kind. That lot are always at each other’s throats.” He waved his hand in dismissal, as if accepting what he was saying wasn’t all that important. “Before the battle came, a crow circled overhead and crie
d out a prophecy about a death. Of one of the leaders no doubt. Knowing how it would turn out, the faerie on that side changed tactics and the person in question survived.”
“A crow?” she mused. It seemed unlikely it was just a crow. If it was speaking and prophesying, then maybe it was more like Luch had been. Though the mouse shifter had been the first ever Warden and it seemed unlikely that there’d been two of them.
“Yes. I know it seems silly to think it was just a crow given the true state of the world, but…”
“No, I believe you. It could easily have been a talking crow.” The words should have sounded mocking but actually didn’t. Such was the advantage of having supernatural boyfriends. It wasn’t like they’d misinterpret something she said and take offense.
“Exactly. But you shouldn’t put too much stock in visions and prophecies. Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect?”
Macey shook her head, wondering what butterflies had to do with anything. As far as she could tell, they served no real purpose other than to look pretty and spread pollen about.
“It suggests that even something as small as the beat of a butterfly’s wings is enough to change the future.”
“Ah.” She thought for a moment. “So by using Izban’s betrayal against him now, I’ve probably changed how things will play out.”
“It seems likely. If he knows you’re watching his every move, it’ll mean he either doesn’t do it, or finds even sneakier ways to go about what he’s going to do.”
“I’m not sure which of those is the better option,” Macey replied.
“I guess that’s all going to depend on why he was going to betray you,” Rónán pointed out. “Maybe he has good reason to do it. Or maybe it’s Amber’s life on the line. Can you honestly say you wouldn’t betray someone to save one of us? Or that we wouldn’t to save you?”
As much as she wanted to deny it, she knew she probably couldn’t. There was too much between them. She’d do anything for them, even if it meant hurting someone else in the process. An uneasy feeling settled over her. That wasn’t a pleasant thing to admit to anyone.
Luckily, Izban chose that moment to awaken from the trance and stare at them wide-eyed.
“I know where it is. And who stole it, although I can’t remember her name.”
“Her name? It was a woman?” Rónán stared at the mage. “Are you sure?”
Izban frowned. “Are you doubting my magic?”
“No, it’s just that I assumed it would have been one of the men who are also in line to be clan chief. A selkie without his skin can’t become chief, so it would have made sense for them to disable me like that.”
The mage nodded grudgingly. “Yes, that makes sense, but I assure you, it was a woman. I saw her last night by the fire, but I have no idea what she’s called. Amber spoke to her though, and Macey.”
“Cara,” both women said at once. Anger bubbled up in Macey’s throat. She was going to kill that selkie for putting her man through all that.
“Bitch,” she exclaimed, earning herself a raised eyebrow from Rónán.
“Why would she do such a thing?” he asked in confusion.
Amber looked at Macey, rolling her eyes.
“Men…” the beithir muttered, before explaining, “She clearly wants you for herself. She probably thought that taking away your skin would make you stay here, with her, and stop you from leaving.”
“But why didn’t she give it back when she noticed that it didn’t work?”
Macey huffed. “Jealous women can be patient. She was probably hoping that you’d change your mind soon, once being without your skin got unbearable. Maybe she would have started blackmailing you soon.”
She shot an apologetic glance at Izban, who ignored it. Maybe telling him about the vision had been foolish and rash. She just hoped that she hadn’t set some things in motion that would end up hurting her or her men. Or the world, in the worst case scenario.
