“If you go after Seanna, you need to be careful,” I said after we’d hit the end of the trail and turned back.

“We will not harm her,” Helia said. “She is the mother of Gwynn. She deserves our respect and our care.”

“Actually, I meant be careful of her. She’s a career criminal. She wouldn’t have any problem leading you to your doom.”

“She’s part fae,” Alexios said. “We’d expect no less.”

“True, but even for fae, she’s…” I glanced at Gabriel, not sure how much farther I should go.

He said, “Seanna Walsh is a drug addict, an alcoholic, a part-time prostitute, and a full-time con artist. She cares nothing for anyone except herself.”

“And you,” Helia said.

“No, I am not the exception to that rule.”

“Oh.” She frowned. “Are you sure you want us to find her?”

“Not particularly, but it seems prudent.”

We walked in silence for a few steps. Then Helia said, “I hope you do not feel obligated to find her, Gwynn.”

“I prefer Gabriel,” he said, but his tone was soft.

She nodded. “We will remember that. But you don’t feel obligated, do you? Even among fae, there are two exceptions to our selfishness. One is our mate.” She caught Alexios’s hand and squeezed it. “You cannot be a partner to someone you do not respect and care for. The other exception is our children. For fae, reproduction is not easy. Alexios and I were never blessed, but we knew if we were, we’d have to change. Be less…” She smiled at her mate. “Less capricious.”

“Less dryad,” he said.

“Exactly.” Her voice lilted, a touch of that lightheartedness seeping back in. Then she sobered again as she said, “You don’t feel obliged to your mother, do you, Gw—Gabriel?”

“Not one single bit.”

“Excellent. We shall be careful, then, for our own sakes and not for hers.”

“We could get rid of her if you like,” Alexios said.

Helia rolled her eyes. “Again, agori mou, one does not ask these questions. Gabriel will say no and then we cannot do it, or we will have disobeyed him.”

“Uh, no,” I cut in. “Whatever the situation, killing Seanna isn’t the answer.”

“Oh, we didn’t mean kill. We don’t do that. But we have ways to make her disappear.” That crafty look again. “The secrets of trees.”

“No, please,” I said. “General rule? Don’t harm anyone while completing a task for us unless your own lives are in danger. Okay?”

“No,” Alexios said.

I turned to him. “Then you aren’t working for us. Either you do as we ask—”

“We will,” Helia said. “But you asked if it was okay. It is not. We will do it, though. You need to be more specific in your questions, Matilda. Or do you prefer Eden?”

“Liv or Olivia.”