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He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Zaide—”
“I will guard the small beast,” Savida interrupted cheerfully. “You have been hoarding all her attention, and it’s my turn.”
I looked back down into violet eyes. I sighed. “Very well.”
Elated, Savida clapped his wings and sprang out of his seat next to Daithi toward me.
“Come, fluffy beast. Come play with me,” he coaxed in a high-pitched whisper. Clawdia glanced up at me again, as though disbelieving, and I almost laughed. Savida continued, “I am much more fun than Zaide. We can—” He looked at Charlie. “What can we do?”
Charlie smirked and shrugged. “Cats like to chase things. You could get her to follow a piece of string or a tiny light. Or you could just tell her what you want her to play. She is freakishly smart. If she ignores you, it’s because she thinks you’re stupid.”
I smiled and scratched at her chin, proud she was so clever. Then dark hands snatched her from my lap, and I saw Savida raise her above his head. “We are going to have the grandest time while the human and Zaide talk. We are going to play a game.”
She made a crying noise. I stood and looked at Charlie.
“Don’t freak out. She’s meowing. That is an agreement,” Charlie said.
I calmed and nodded, and Charlie began walking to his office again. I cast one look back at Clawdia to ensure she was all right before I followed him inside.
He closed the door behind us and then walked to sit in a wheeled chair behind his desk. I stayed standing. “What is it you wish to talk about?”
“It’s about the picture Daithi gave me yesterday.”
I stood straighter. I didn’t know how long human tracking would take, but I did not expect results so early. “You have news already? You know where she is?”
He sighed and shook his head. “I’ve identified the building behind them. It’s called the Crystal Palace.”
He paused, and I spoke, unable to bear the silence, “This is good, is it not? Where is it?”
“It burned down in 1939.” His face betrayed his sorrow at telling me this news, but I didn’t understand. He continued, “So, at the earliest, it puts us at Margaret being ninety years old.”
“That’s very old?”
“That age isn’t something everyone gets to experience.” He sighed.
I raised a fist to my heart as though I could shield it from pain. From disappointment. Again.
“You believe she might have already passed from this world?” I croaked.
Charlie whispered, “I think it’s likely.”
Silence seemed to emphasize the crack of my heart at the news that we were too late. “But Daithi, he saw her—”
“He saw her past. Maybe that was to tell you something. Maybe not. Surely Daithi has visions that don’t mean anything.”
“He does,” I reluctantly agreed.
“There you go, then—”
I interrupted, “He knew she was my soul pair. Why would he have a vision about my soul pair if I would never find her?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. The universe is a fucked-up place.”
“This, I know.” I paced the small office space, my thoughts racing and my heart crying.
Charlie leaned back in his chair and joined his fingers across his stomach. “Why is this such an important thing? What is a soul pair?”
His question made me pause and turn to him. I trusted him. He took us into his home, listened to our request, and delivered his promise to research Daithi’s vision. I had no reason not to tell him my people’s secret. Their weakness.
