But the fear strumming through him now? The one that made him lie and insist he’d heard nothing? It was a fear he hadn’t experienced since he’d been locked in that cubby, hearing the creaks and rattles of an old building and imagining all the terrifying creatures from his aunt Rose’s wonderful and terrible books. It was, indeed, the fear of the child who dares not look under the bed.

Gabriel heard the beating of wings against glass.

He knew there was a rational explanation. Perhaps a bird had flown into a window. Or it was simply the wind. But it sounded like what he’d heard with Olivia in the vision, and therefore that was what came to mind, dragging with it the sheer and mindless fear he’d felt then, trapped between himself and Gwynn and some memory so deeply rooted it was part of both human and fae DNA.

The sluagh is coming. The unforgiven is coming. The darkness is coming.

“Gabriel?” Patrick prompted.

“Whatever it was, I don’t hear it now,” Gabriel said quickly. “I do hear the dryads, though. Coming this way.”

Which was true. Their light footsteps pitter-pattered over the boards, like scampering woodland creatures. Gabriel stood his ground, and the dryads veered around the doorway and stopped short.

“You didn’t wait,” Helia said.

“You were supposed to wait,” Alexios said.

“Yes,” Gabriel said.

Alexios nudged Helia. “See? I told you he wouldn’t. Gwynn does not follow the orders of mere semi-immortals.” He looked at Gabriel. “I know you don’t like that name. I just meant—”

“I understand what you meant. And no, if I do not wish to wait, I don’t.”

Alexios smiled. “Good. You shouldn’t. You’re king of the Fae. And if they”—he nodded to Patrick—”try to say otherwise, tell them where to shove it. You have the power to do that. Don’t ever forget it.”

Patrick’s brows lifted.

“We were coming to get you,” Helia said. “We just wanted to make sure Seanna’s still here.”

“It would be very embarrassing if she wasn’t,” Alexios said. “We also needed to make sure no one else had found her in the meantime. The mother of Gwynn is valuable. Others are looking. We’ve heard there is a reward for her capture.”

“That would be mine,” Patrick said.

“You only offered money,” Helia said. “Others offer more.”

“What others?”

“Those hunting wouldn’t tell us. We tried insisting. We even threatened. But no one ever takes us seriously when we threaten.”

“Not even when we scowl.” Alexios looked at Gabriel. “You could make them talk. You have a good scowl.”

“Where is Seanna?” Patrick said. “Every second you delay, my reward drops.”

Alexios wrinkled his nose. “We don’t want your money.”