Well, that pretty much nixed his being able to offer a comforting lie, Magnus thought grimly. Sliding his chair back from the table, he scooped the boy up onto his lap, but delayed answering again by asking, “Did the other kids put you up to asking?”

“Uh-huh.” Liam nodded solemnly, his gaze on the toy car he held, and then he glanced up and added, “But I wanted to know anyway.”

“I imagine you did,” Magnus murmured.

“She’s my mom,” he pointed out.

“Yes, she is.”

“Did the bad men take her?”

Magnus closed his eyes briefly, and then nodded. “Yes, son. They took her.”

Liam lowered his head for a moment and then looked up and said, “But you’re going to get her back, right?”

“I am going to try my hardest,” Magnus assured him.

Liam considered that, and then nodded and asked, “Are you my dad now?”

Magnus opened his mouth, closed it, and then said tentatively, “I should like to be, if that is okay with you?”

“Okay,” he said solemnly. “But you have to get Mom back first. Families have a mom and a dad, and I’ve always wanted a family. My whole life.”

“So have I,” Magnus said quietly.

Nodding again, Liam slipped off his lap and headed back to the living room. Apparently, the conversation was over, Magnus thought wryly, and then glanced toward the door to the deck when it burst open to allow wind, snowflakes, and Lucian Argeneau in. He was followed quickly by his niece, Basha, and her husband, Marcus Notte.

Magnus was on his feet at once, but paused when Lucian met his gaze and raised his eyebrows in question.

“Has he made contact yet?” Lucian asked abruptly as he toed off his boots.

Magnus shook his head.

“Right.” Expression grim, Lucian undid his coat as he moved around the kitchen counter, but didn’t remove it. “Where the hell is everyone?”

“Victor, Teddy, Katricia, and DJ are upstairs watching the four sides of the house for anyone approaching, and Harper, Elvi, Mabel, and Stephanie are with Drina,” Tybo answered at once.

“Well, get them down here,” Lucian barked.

Tybo hesitated, but then said, “Shouldn’t someone stay on guard? In case—”

“In case what?” Lucian asked grimly. “The horse is already out of the barn.”

“But the pony is in the living room,” Magnus pointed out sharply, and when Lucian looked at him blankly added, “Liam. We still need to protect him. They could come back.”

“They will not come back. They think they have a bargaining chip to get him without risking a return visit,” Lucian said with certainty, and then looked at Tybo. “Go on. Get everyone down here.”

Tybo turned at once to rush upstairs.

Giving a grunt of satisfaction, Lucian turned back to Magnus. “You know Marcus, and have met Basha.”

Magnus gave Marcus a nod of greeting, but asked Basha, “Can you really narrow down where he might have taken her?” It was his only hope now, unless they got a call.