Aurora heard deep, throaty laughter inside that could only be Zephyr—the water witch. Aurora barely had time to process the news in all the ensuing fallout. Of course, Jinx had told her that witches of numerous powers existed, but Aurora had been taught for so long that witches were extinct that it still stunned her anew every time those lessons were proven wrong.

The laughter moved closer, and then the door swung open just in time for them to catch the show of Zephyr’s head slung backward in mirth—her wild hair as dark as the space that stretched between stars.

She turned her head and smiled at them and said, “Come in. Come in.”

Aurora stepped inside first, and her heart lurched so hard she lost her breath.

“I am told you know each other,” Zephyr said, appearing at Aurora’s side. “I was quite shocked myself when Locke found me last night.” Zephyr winced and added, “Excuse me. Kiran. Or do you prefer Thorne?”

“Either is fine.” Kiran’s deep voice was a punch to the chest.

“That will take some getting used to,” Zephyr added.

Aurora couldn’t move. She certainly couldn’t speak. Her heart felt smashed against her rib cage, like someone was trying to push it out through the gaps.

“He told me quite a tale,” Zephyr continued, stepping past Aurora to return to her desk in the center of the room, upon which Kiran leaned as if he’d been there a thousand times. The witch paused briefly to scratch the head of the wildcat who lay curled up on a plush pillow in the corner, before retaking her seat. Kiran’s expression was empty, matter-of-fact, and Aurora found herself struggling not to cry.

“Rescued from kidnappers in the midst of a storm. Goodness, you are one lucky girl.” Zephyr laughed again, and this time it did not sound quite so effervescent.

He lied for her? She had not necessarily intended to tell the whole truth, especially not to this Zephyr woman. But his gaze met hers with a hard intensity, and she found herself nodding along with his story. “Yes. Very lucky, indeed.” She could not help but add, “I could not be more grateful to have met him.”

He averted his gaze, and she did her best not to let the hurt show on her face. “How do the two of you know each other?” Aurora asked.

Zephyr smiled, and took a seat at her desk. “We have similar interests.”

Aurora’s stomach pitched, and she thought she might be sick. He left her the night before to come find this woman. Why? She was so hyperaware of the exact distance between the two of them that she hardly noticed when Taven closed the door and pushed her gently toward a chair.

“Zephyr was the proprietor behind the Eye,” Kiran said. “Though she tended to keep that secret. I did a special hunt for her a few years back.”