So I focused on what she’d asked him. And that answer did surprise me. The Nix had asked Ross absolutely nothing that didn’t relate to telekinesis and poltergeists. During lessons, she was a little keener, always volunteering to try a new technique, always persevering in the face of failure. Though she hadn’t succeeded in actually moving anything telekinetically, Ross was certain that, had she stuck with the lessons, she would have become one of his success stories.

When teaching sessions ended, the Nix would always withdraw from the group, find a quiet corner to practice in, and keep working. Yes, she had shared Ross’s bed on her last night there, but the postcoital chitchat had been purely business, and she’d apparently used the sex only to get some one-on-one training time.

“Speaking of one-on-one training,” Ross said as we finished. “Send me someplace decent this time, preferably warm, preferably female-friendly, and definitely safe, and you can forget about owing me for those poltergeist lessons.”

“Er, right.” I resisted the urge to sneak a look Kristof’s way, but I could feel his gaze boring into me. “So how about we send you—”

“What I don’t get, though,” Ross cut in, “is why someone like you even wants poltergeist lessons. Not that I’m complaining.” A quick grin. “But, let’s face it, you’re powerful enough to get whatever you want without resorting to parlor tricks.”

“Being able to manipulate objects in the living world would help me solve a problem.”

His brow crinkled. “With the Nix?”

“No,” Kris murmured. “It has nothing to do with the Nix…or anything in this life.”

“It’s to help my”—I glanced at Kris—“our daughter.”

“Ah,” Ross said. “Well, now, that I can see. But I’m not sure how much good poltergeisting would be. What you really need is that demon amulet.”

“Demon—”

Kristof cut in. “It’s a legend. A myth.”

I glanced at him. “You’ve heard of it? What does—?”

“There is no amulet, Eve.”

We exchanged glares. Then his gaze softened, and his eyes begged me to let it go.

I tore my gaze away and looked at Ross. “This amulet—”

Kristof strode out. I murmured an apology to Ross, and a promise to return, then hurried after Kristof.

I found Kris on the front lawn, standing behind a tree, face lifted to the sky. He couldn’t have missed the sound of my shoes in the snow, but he didn’t call to me, didn’t even look at me when I found him.

“Kris?”

“Do you think you’re the only parent who worries about her children?” he asked quietly.

“No, of course not—”

“Do you think you’re the only one who made mistakes? Who isn’t haunted by those mistakes? Who wouldn’t do anything to turn back time or reach into the living world and set them right?”