Last night she’d accepted him as he was. He’d had hope that one day he’d be able to tell her everything and not have her look at him with fear or horror. Now that was gone. It took a moment for him to realize that he cared about what she thought, that he didn’t want this to be just one night or even a few days. He wanted more. He’d already told her more about himself than anyone else knew. And because of that she could crush him. Although if he made a deal with Shea, he wouldn’t have to suffer a broken heart for long, as he’d be dead.
“You know how I said I’m afraid of fairies?”
Lydia raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms. She and Dylis would get on great. Both of them watching him, neither of them looking impressed. If only they could see each other.
“They are around us, but most people can’t see them.”
“Uh-huh, but you can.”
“I’m psychometric because I’m half-fairy. My biological father, the dangerous man, he is the fairy I’ve never met.”
She pressed her lips together, disbelief hardening her features. He was losing her already, but he had to press on.
“The mirrors were put there by a fairy that wants me to help him find a…” Why stop at fairies? He might as well start talking magic. “A magic mirror.”
Lydia glanced outside then back at him. She shook her head. “Fairies aren’t real. I don’t know how you got the mirrors here or why, but it wasn’t fairies.”
She was really watching him now, as if he was a dangerous psychopath who’d let go of reality. He knew that was how it sounded, but the look in her eyes was why he’d never told anyone. Disbelief and a whole lot of distrust. He tried to ignore the ache that threatened to tear open his heart. Maybe he wasn’t ready for this. Yet he remembered how it had been last night. How she’d believed him about the psychometry. He had to give her a chance to believe in fairies. He needed that chance.
He took a breath and tried logic. “Why would I fill your garden with mirrors?”
“I don’t know.”
“How would I when I was in bed with you?”
“I don’t know.” He could see the doubt begin to take hold as her gaze flicked between him and the window.
“All those odd bumps and crashes last night? They were banished fairies, Greys we call them, looking to cause trouble because I have refused to help the other one find the mirror he wants.”
“Right.” She nodded, but the desire that had filled her eyes last night was totally gone. She’d slept with him and was now regretting every second of the time they’d been intimate, while he was holding onto those same moments as if they were the only lifeline he had.
He only had one thing he could do and Dylis would make him pay for it later. “Dylis, show yourself please.”
“No. This is your problem.”
“It’s yours as well. I’m not moving. I’m not doing anything until you show yourself.” And to Lydia it looked as if he was talking to himself. This was getting better and better.
“Okay, I think you should go. I’ll give you a head start before I call the police about the mirrors.” Lydia edged around the kitchen as far from him as she could get.
He didn’t move. “Dylis. I swear if you do not do this for me I will do everything in my power to ensure you suffer for the rest of your very long life.” His words vibrated with power he’d never felt before. He’d tapped into a magic that he hadn’t known he possessed. He knew a fairy’s word had power, but the desperation he was feeling must have given his words enough weight for his fairy blood to shine. Great. He’d spent years suppressing it, only to have it surface now.
“Damn you.” She shimmered for a moment but nothing else changed to his eye.
Lydia gasped. Her hand covered her mouth as she pressed herself against a wall. Her gaze was on the ten-inch woman standing on her kitchen counter.
Dylis gave a bow that bordered on surly. “I’m Caspian’s guardian, fairy godmother, or angel on his shoulder—whatever you like to think of me as.”
Lydia closed her eyes, and after a couple of seconds she opened them. “You’re still there.”
“I’ve been here all night, keeping the imps away from you two,” Dylis snapped. “This was not a good idea.” She pointed her finger at Caspian.
Dylis wasn’t going to forgive him for a while. Generally fairies weren’t supposed to reveal themselves unless they were blending into human society. Dylis couldn’t do that as she was supposed to be his guardian in secret. No one was supposed to know he was important enough to have a guardian. Now Lydia did, even if she didn’t understand what he was telling her.
“You were talking to her?” Lydia took a step forward.
“She woke me to tell me about the mirrors in the hope that I could reason with the Grey that put them there and get rid of them before you got up.” He really needed a second cup of coffee for this conversation.
“But I got up too early. You weren’t going to tell me.” Her gaze lifted from Dylis to him, her dark eyes full of suspicion instead of heat and longing.
“I thought about telling you I was fairy last night, but it’s not easy to say and even harder to hear. If not for Dylis, would you have believed me?”
She bit her lower lip, her gaze sliding around the kitchen as if she were looking for more fairies.
“There’s no one else here at the moment.” He hoped that sounded reassuring.
“But last night…” Her eyes widened as she began putting together what she’d heard last night and what he’d just told her about there being Greys in the house.
“There were two imps and a boggart making trouble. Nothing I couldn’t handle.” Dylis tapped her sword. “They weren’t here to hurt you.”
“They were here because of you.” Lydia looked at him, still wary.
“Yes. The Grey is trying to force me to find a powerful mirror for him.”
“With your psychometry.” She paused. “So why not just find it and be done with it?”
That was why it was best that humans didn’t know about fairies. They’d make deals without understanding the consequences. If Shea turned up, he’d trick Lydia out of her soul and then use it as a bargaining tool—it’s what he’d do if he were in Shea’s place. And he knew in that moment he’d do whatever Shea asked to keep her safe.
He had to make the deal to protect Lydia from Shea and his band of Greys, even if Lydia wasn’t sure about accepting the fact that he was half-fairy. She didn’t deserve to be drawn into his drama any more than she already was.
“I’m going to.”
“Caspian, be careful.” Dylis actually looked like she cared.
“Wait.” Lydia put her hand on his arm. “These Greys are bad news?”
“They are dangerous and will do anything to get back to Annwyn… back home.” He knew it was too much strange information, but at least she knew who he was.
“Is this your home?”
“I’m mortal. I was born here.” And he hoped to die here when he was old, but the odds of that happening were reducing. “But I am half-fairy so bound by their laws. Making deals with a Grey carries a penalty.”
Her grip tightened a fraction. “Then don’t do it.”
“He has to. Shea won’t stop until he does. It is better he makes it on his terms than being backed farther into a corner.” Dylis gave Lydia a look that indicated that she thought Lydia was a complication.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.” Maybe the deal he made wouldn’t be that bad. Maybe his father wouldn’t kill him for treason. Maybe Lydia would still want him to stay over after this.