He sniffed, an unconvinced sound if I’d ever heard one. I grinned but was saved from having to argue any further by my phone ringing.

The tone told me it was Mathi, so I hit the answer button and said, “I take it you’re fully recovered from the kidnapping and out of the hospital?”

“Yes, and I’m planning a little day trip to see a certain spellcaster in Elsmoot—”

“Aram?” I said. Lugh’s gaze shot toward me, but he remained silent. “Wouldn’t he have skedaddled by now? Kaitlyn would have sent him a warning that we wanted to talk to him.”

“She hasn’t. I’ve just finished speaking to her.”

I raised my eyebrows. “And why would you be doing that rather than your father?”

“Because my life has been placed in jeopardy twice now and there will not be a third.”

“That doesn’t explain why your father isn’t undertaking the search.”

“I’m sure he is, but I refuse to sit around and wait.” His tone was flat and cold. This was the light elf speaking, not the man who’d been my lover for nearly ten years. “If helping you out with the search for the Claws gains us the names of those behind the attacks all that much sooner, then join the hunt I will.”

I wasn’t sure that was a good thing, given the likely tension between him and Cynwrig. Still, that wasn’t my problem, and they were both adults. They could work it out.

“And what about your day job? Don’t you have the family business to run?”

The Dhār-Val family ran one of the largest forestry growth businesses in the UK. Basically, they tripled the growth rate of plantation forests in order to protect the remaining old growth forests from harvesting. Though Mathi was the son of a second son, his uncle had retired some eight years ago without male issue. From what the little I’d gleaned about the situation, Ruadhán was ineligible for the position because his ability to manipulate the energy of living flora was considered below acceptable levels, and the board would not have accepted his tenure even if he had been interested.

I personally doubted Ruadhán would have accepted the position anyway. He had his own little kingdom to run in the form of the daytime IIT division and seemed to enjoy the power it gave him over all races.

“The board can cope well enough without me for a few days,” Mathi said. “This is more important.”

I was betting neither the board nor his uncle would see it that way. “And you want me along because...?”

“Your knives counter magic. I think it a prudent step, considering we’re about to confront a spellcaster capable of who knows what. Besides, I have a council meeting I need to attend tonight, so the added protection will not go astray.”

A smile twitched my lips. Mathi was nothing if not practical. “What time are you going?”

“That depends on where you are.”

“We’re just leaving the tavern and about to head over to Lugh’s.”