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“I bought a house adjacent to a cemetery. I don’t need the ward activating twenty-four-seven.” Okay, it was a minor fib given I’d helped all the spirits cross over as soon as I moved in—well, all the spirits minus two.
“I see,” Phaedra said, and resumed stirring. “I understand the dilemma. Revenants and ghosts fall under the same undead umbrella. I’d have to try to parse them, which could prove tricky.”
“Does tricky mean expensive?” I queried.
Phaedra snorted. “It very well could. I don’t typically charge by the hour, but I might have to in a situation like this.”
“In that case, forget I asked.”
“Do you think it came through the crossroads?”
“Possibly.” The werewolf guards on duty might’ve missed the revenant if he sent himself through the crossroads one piece at a time. I didn’t want to think too hard about that one.
I set my hands on the table. “Now, my next order of business involves the name Sarah. Ever hear your family mention a Fairhaven woman by that name?”
“Just Sarah? No last name?”
“I’m sure she has one, but I don’t know it.”
“How long ago would this conversation have taken place? You seem to forget that I basically ran away from home,” Phaedra said.
“I didn’t forget, but I assume your family gossiped about the people in town when you were younger, and you might remember hearing the name.”
Phaedra fell silent for a moment. “There were so many names mentioned over the years. I don’t specifically remember any references to Sarah.”
“How about a human making a bargain with a fairy? Or a reference to a changeling?”
Phaedra perked up as she delivered our drinks to the table, complete with a cinnamon stick and orange peel.
“This looks amazing.” I blew off the steam and drew a small taste to my lips. It managed to be both soothing and spicy, an ideal combination.
“A changeling in Fairhaven?”
“Is that so unusual? The town sits on the border of a multirealm crossroads.”
“If my family got wind of a changeling, they would’ve taken action.”
“They didn’t seem interested in protecting the town from other supernatural species. Why would a changeling present a problem for them?”
“Because fairies have magic. They would’ve viewed the presence of a changeling as encroachment on their turf.”
And here I thought werewolves were territorial.
“Would they have kept any notes? Maybe a journal?”
“If they interfered in a bargain between a human and a fairy, they wouldn’t have left a written record of it. The fae can be vengeful. They also would’ve complained until they were blue in the face, so if this happened within my lifetime, I’d remember.”
“It was eighteen years ago.”
“Then I doubt they knew about it because I never heard it mentioned.” Her brow furrowed. “Is there anything I need to know about this changeling?”
“I don’t think they’re a threat. I’m trying to track them down for a remorseful family member. I’m basically tracking a lost heir, like I used to do in London.”
“More like tracking an adoptee on behalf of their biological family.” Her lips grew thin.
“You disapprove?”
“You don’t know how the changeling will react, do you? Maybe they think they’re human. Maybe they’re happy and you’re about to rip their peaceful world apart.”
