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“I’ll come with you,” Fenris offered.
I gave him a look. “You asked me to talk to the witches because they were tense, remember? That still applies here.” I paused and looked around. “Also, you just killed a witch…and not everyone might realize she was a spy. At least, not right away.”
He scowled, but didn’t argue my point. “Fine,” he said.
“Go for a run,” I suggested. “Burn off some steam.”
As I’d expected, there were several small groups of witches and warlocks chattering away within the Thalassa camp when I returned. You could practically hear the record scratch when I walked in to join the camp, everyone stopping and staring at me. At least this time, it was because of the chaos I’d just been part of.
“The witches who’ve been stirring up rumors were members of the Aurora coven,” I said loudly, hopeful that most individuals within the camp could hear me. “When I tried to confront them, they attacked me.”
Someone gasped. “It’s true!” Morgan suddenly piped up, stepping forward from where she’d been talking with her father.“They took off as soon as Celeste even looked at them. They wouldn’t answer her calls.”
It was like a switch had flipped, and the chattering started up again, with one witch telling another she’d “told her so” while a warlock insisted that he’d justknownsomething was off there.
Satisfied, I turned back to Morgan, smiling. “Thanks,” I said, walking over to her. I looked at James, standing beside her. “Could I please talk to you for a minute? Alone?”
James gave his daughter a look before giving me a slow nod. “We can talk in my tent,” he said, waving a hand over. He seemed pleased but wary. Once we sat inside the canvas, he looked me up and down. “And what can I do for the last Handmaiden witch?”
Oh, boy.I took a deep breath. “It’s James, right?”
He nodded, looking embarrassed for not properly introducing himself.
“You can just think of me as Celeste,” I said. “I wanted to talk to you because Cody King was giving you a hard time when you first arrived to help us on Isla Lobo, and he claimed Morgan as his fated mate. I know that was a tense moment…and I also know you’ve used a ward to keep Cody away from your camp.”
“I did,” he said.At least he’s being honest with me—that’s a start.“Keeping me away from my daughter when she clearly needed a healer was out of line. I did it with her best interest in mind.”
“Cody shouldn’t have done that,” I said, “but I’m sure he was also concerned about her and didn’t realize you were her father right away.”
James gave me a flat look. “I don’t just mean that. Thalassa witches should find warlocks to be with—or other witches, if they prefer. They don’t need to be within our coven, but they should still be magical folk, or they risk diluting their power. There are plenty of witches and warlocks in the world. Nice, kind, smart—or brave and foolhardy, if that’s what Morgan has her heart set on.”
I nearly laughed at the apt description of Cody. “I know you’re worried about her,” I said. “I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to answer the Lunar Lord’s call for help, only to find your daughter injured.” James’s breathing faltered, and I paused, but I knew I couldn’t stop. “I know you want to protect her, and I know this isn’t really my place, but isn’t it important for Morgan to feel loved and cared for by her partner? Before I met Fenris, I was just…making dowith someone because he was perfectly nice and suitable, but I wasn’t happy. I jumped through mental hoops to convince myself I didn’t need anything else, but looking back, he really didn’t love me at all. I was just convenient for him…and if I’d just tried to be ‘safe,’ I never would have met Fenris at all. I might still be in that unhappy relationship.”
“Hmm.” I waited for a few more moments, but James said nothing else.
I sighed. “Look, Morgan is an adult. She will love who she loves, whether that’s Cody or someone else entirely.” I strongly suspected it’d be Cody, but I wasn’t about to put words in Morgan’s mouth. “Standing between her and that choice is only going to sour her relationship, and…I really don’t want that for her, as her friend.”
James wrinkled his nose, but he didn’t lookangrywith me—though he certainly didn’t look pleased, either. “You make a good point,” he allowed. “I’ll think about it.”
Aware that was the best I could do for now, I thanked him for his time and left his tent. Unsurprisingly, Morgan wasn’t far away, practically rocking back and forth on her heels. “I asked Val to lift the ward on Cody,” I told her quietly. “So don’t be too surprised when he shows up.”
“Thank you, Celeste,” she whispered back, her cheeks already turning pink. “I…I really want to see him. Thank you.” She paused and bit her lower lip.
“Is everything okay?” I asked when she didn’t say anything.
“Cody’s known we’ve been fated mates for a while, hasn’t he?” she asked. “He just…he seemed so sure when he told my father. Like he hadn’t just realized that.”
I shook my head and smiled. “A wolf shifter knows when he—or she—first meets her fated mate. It’s the smell, I guess.”
“The smell?” She looked mortified. “I hope I smell okay. New fear unlocked.”
I laughed. “To Cody? He smelled nothing better. But seriously, yes. He’s known. He just didn’t want to pressure you into anything.”
Morgan’s smile grew. “I…I’m glad to hear that. He’ll want to go for another walk tonight.”
“I’m sure he will.” I shook my head. “And don’t get too stressed out. I’m sure your dad will come around. I’m going to find Fenris. Have a good time tonight, okay?”
“I will. And thank you again, Celeste.”
