Shock and dread jolted through him at the resolute look in her eyes. He'd forgotten about all that in his haste to see her safe.

She took one step back from him, out of his arms. It was like a chasm opening up between them. She gave him one last lingering look and then rushed to her godmother's side.

"We handle our own injured," said Thomas.

Mira shook her head. "No. Not my godmother. I want someone to call an ambulance for her right now. Right now, Thomas." She wouldn't take anything less than that for Annie.

He stared at her a moment, but she was wearing her don't-mess-with-me face. She felt a lot more comfortable wearing that one these days.

"Adam, take Ms. Weber back to my apartment. Tell the doorman to call an ambulance," Thomas said.

"Thank you.”

Adam, a fire witch who had the body of a weight lifter and a nose that had been broken more than once, helped Annie to her feet with a gentleness that seemed at odds with his obvious physical strength. Annie stopped in front of her, and Mira cupped her godmother's face in her hands and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Annie.”

Tears streamed down Annie's cheeks. "I love you, too, kiddo.”

"Now go. I'll be right behind you.”

Adam helped her out the door.

Mira could feel Jack's gaze on her back. She stared at Thomas, struggling not to turn around and go to him.

"Mira," Thomas said. "Jack is a good man. He can't help who fathered him.”

She went stiff. She shifted her gaze so she looked through Thomas, instead of at him. "I don't care about that, Thomas. I don't care who his father was or that when he was a little kid he saw my mother die. But I do care that he lied to me about it," she said tonelessly. "I love him, Thomas, but he lied to me.”

Thomas sighed. "It's my fault. I asked him not to tell you who he was. Thought it would interfere with the job if you knew. I never thought you two would fall in love.”

"And he obeyed you blindly. I don't accept that. He should have told me." Mira pushed past her cousin without looking at Jack and left the room to follow Adam and Annie.

At Thomas's building the doorman called an ambulance. She knelt beside the couch in the lobby, where Adam had helped Annie sit down.

Annie fisted her shaking hands in her lap. "I thought maybe you hated me.”

"Hate you?" She covered Annie's hands with her own. "I could never hate you, Annie. You've been a mother to me my whole life.”

"But I kept things from you.”

"You did what my parents asked of you. You're loyal. When everything started to go down, you did your best to protect me." She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't hate you, Annie. I love you.”