Damn it, I didn’t have time to be fighting the Goddess, the demons, and the vampires, not to mention the court battle convincing twelve prejudiced elves that leaving your children in the care of a demon was not child abuse. But what pained me the most was that this—the mystics making our hands glow—was why Al wouldn’t talk to me.

“Don’t let go,” Trent said, his fingers tightening on me so the charm wouldn’t break. “Oh, Rachel, it’s going to be okay,” he said, pulling me into a one-armed hug. “I promise.”

My eyes closed. The energy flowing through us somehow felt transparent without the usual taint of ever-after. It occurred to me that if we just left and went to that island in the Pacific no one would care if I had mystics in me or not.

“Are they speaking to you?” Trent asked, the thread of fear he tried to hide sparking through me, crushing the want for sand and sun and solitude.

I pulled back, feeling his absence keenly. My fear was reflected in his eyes, strengthened by love. “No, but they can hear me.”

He blinked fast, his hold on my hands tightening. “It’s okay,” he started, and all the fear and anger I’d shoved down boiled up.

“It’s not okay!” I shouted, and the light redoubled, making shadows in the small room. “Did you see Al’s face when he saw me? Saw the mystics?” I took my hands from his, and the light continued to glow within them. I didn’t know what spell it was since it wasn’t aura based. I guess when you’re line energy, it doesn’t matter. “They’re going to kill me.”

“No one is going to kill you,” he insisted. “Besides, I like the way your aura looks.” I tried to smile as he gave me a kiss, his lips finding mine with determination. “And the way you smell with them in your hair,” he whispered, fingers firmly at the back of my neck. “Why do you even care what they think about you anyway?”

My eyes closed, and I breathed him in, wondering how it could be so good and so bad at the same time. “Because they’re the only group of people who aren’t afraid of me.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” a low voice growled.

My eyes shot to the closed door, then the sink. “Al!” Shit, how long had he been there? I panicked, the light glowing like a neon sign of guilt.

Trent stood, tension pulling him ramrod straight. “Where are my girls?”

Al’s features creased as he scowled at Trent. “You are late. I told you I had to leave at six P.M. exactly, and it’s after that now.”

Trent took a step forward. “Where are Lucy and Ray?” he asked again, and Al finally took his eyes off me.