“Politics, love, passion—giving Jayce to you solved so many things.” He reached out again, but didn’t touch her. “This is best for everyone.”

“So I’m simply to be okay with being manipulated for your plans?”

“I care for you enough to want you happy, and I love my freedom enough to want to—”

“To want to use me.” Rika turned and walked into the main room, where Jayce was waiting. He didn’t say anything, but he’d obviously heard all of it. After only a moment, he opened his arms, and she went into his embrace.

She buried her face against him and cried.

After her sobs let up, he wiped the tears from her cheeks, but didn’t press her to talk. Somewhere inside her home, Sionnach quietly waited, but he didn’t seek her out and force her to speak either.

Rika rested her head on Jayce’s shoulder, and they sat there silently until evening fell. Jayce didn’t chastise her for the mess he’d been drawn into because of her. She waited for him to leave, grateful that he hadn’t walked out while she and Sionnach argued.

Finally, Rika went to a trunk and retrieved an oft-folded and refolded letter. She smoothed it out and carried it to Jayce. “Can you dial this number before you go?”

He pulled out his cell phone, put it on speakerphone, and dialed.

Through the phone, a cold voice answered, “Hello.”

“I need to speak to Donia. This is Rika.”

Then Donia’s voice came over the line: “Rika? Are you okay?”

“I need your help. Can I see you?”

Donia’s laughter was short but genuinely amused. “Not in the desert. You could come to me though.”

“I’m on my way.” Rika waited until Donia disconnected, and then she went to collect her things to travel before Sionnach could notice her departure.

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

“Where is that salve?” Jayce asked as she was shoving things into her bag.

Rika said nothing at first. She thought it through one more time. Jayce was at risk with or without the Sight. If he had the ability to see the fey when they were invisible to mortals, he was in danger of having his eyes gouged out. If he didn’t have the ability to see them, he was unable to see those that could hurt him.

“Rika?”

“You can’t let the court fey know that you can see them without their consent.” She stopped packing and stared at him. “Can you be sure you can do that for the rest of your life?”

Jayce paused, his expression flickering between thoughtful and determined. After a few moments, he said, “There are creatures all around me that I can only see when they allow it. I want to see the whole world because . . . it seems wrong not to see, and I don’t want to be blind to threats.”