Page 100 of Ulune's Daughter

He rubs my back. “You’ll never shake me off. And she’d forgive you if you’d just go over there and talk to her.”

“I miss her,” I admit.

“She misses you too,” Law says, proving his hearing is ridiculously acute since Luca and I are barely murmuring. “Not that I can fathom why.”

Luca leans over and does something to his brother that causes him to hiss. I hope there’s blood involved.

“All this stuff about her being a queen,” I whisper to Luca, although I’m not sure why I’m whispering since Law can clearly hear me. “It really doesn’t bother you?”

“Understanding what she’s becoming only helps us figure out how to deal with her now, Rho,” Luca says. “Knowing that she has these darker needs, that she’s going through a transition and it’s bound to be a little rocky, doesn’t that help ease the situation in your mind?”

I nod. “Yeah, some.”

“Then ignore Law’s dickishness. He’s just doing it to get a rise out of you. She needs us. All of us. That’s what’s important.”

I squeeze him. “You’re still okay with it? With me being with her even when you’re not?”

“Better than okay,” Luca agrees. “If we don’t respond to her call now, does she wait for us, or does she call someone else to her? She might be enemies with that jackalwere, but he was definitely sniffing around her.”

“And her ex is back,” Law interjects. “I had our cousins follow him after the V.I.P. reception. He’s rented an apartment in Bevington.”

“Her ex? Her brother-in-law?” I ask, puzzled.

Law rolls his eyes. “The other one. The professor from California who smells like bad dreams.”

“Rowan Wright,” Luca says. “I have plans for him.”

“What plans?” I ask.

“Kellan asked me to share information with him so he might assist with the work on her discovery. And I will.” Luca peels his lips back from his teeth. “Selectively.”

“Be clever and careful,” Law tells his brother. “Nothing that could harm your own academic reputation.”

Luca nods at him. “Always.”

“In the short term, damaging his reputation as a scholar satisfies me,” Law says. “But longer term, I want to ruin him. He hurt our mate.”

Luca rubs his chin. “I’ll work on getting access to his system in the name of interdepartmental cooperation. See what I can find. Everyone has something to hide.”

“I’ll keep Mags and Dex on him. You and I have a date with the Holly King. He invited us to Ivywhile to research the Crow Queens when I expressed an interest.”

“Are we staying overnight?” Luca asks.

Law shrugs. “I’m not sure how far Aranthann’s hospitality extends.” Law’s eyes shift to me. “You should come, human.”

“To Ivywhile? Why?”

“The Bridge of Tears lies in Ivywhile’s shadow. It’s a banshee gathering place. You wish to understand our mate’s dark nature? Come meet her sisters.”

I weigh his offer, trying to see the trap. Luca sits quietly, saying nothing, and he’d protest if he saw a catch. Slowly, I say, “Okay.”

“Has she invited you over to talk?” Law asks.

He wouldn’t usually ask me directly. “What do you know?”

He holds his hands up. “Why do you presume I know anything more than I’ve already divulged?”

“Because you spent the night with her last night. Not as the cat.”

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