Page 101 of Ulune's Daughter

“I am always the cat. The cat is me. But it is true that she invited me to share her bed last night in my skin rather than my fur. She was both vulnerable and elated in the wake of the opening. She wanted to be held. I held her?—”

Luca hisses in a breath. “She saw your face?”

“No. I took off the mask in her bed and drew the Shades across my face. I put the mask back on this morning before she woke. She didn’t ask to see my face.”

“Are you planning on showing her your real face?” I ask, knowing the twins’ shapeshifting extends beyond their hair and eye colors. Luca rarely changes his features, but I’ve seen Law leave the den wearing a face I didn’t recognize.

“Eventually,” Law drawls. “Why?”

“I’m just trying to figure out your game, Law.”

“Human, you could not divine my game in a hundred lifetimes.”

He’s such a fucking dick. “Why do you want to know if she’s invited me over?”

“Because if she hasn’t, I’ll encourage her to do so before we go to Ivywhile. Taking you to the Bridge is pointless if you cannot resolve your issues with our mate.”

That ... makes sense. “Okay. Thank you.”

Law grunts. I don’t think my thanks means much to him.

Chapter32

Raven Woman

KELLAN

“Woman, slow down,” Rach complains.

I lift my head from where I’m focused on the contents of my cauldron. “Whaaa?”

Rachel waves her hand over her cauldron, wafting bluish smoke around her face. Her hot-pink hair has gone frizzy from the steam.

“Rosemary,” I tell her.

How do I know her potion needs more rosemary? I don’t know. I just do.

Rachel scans her workspace, crowded with herbs, crystals, and other ingredients. Rachel’s what I’d call a seat-of-your-pants spellcaster. She does minimal organization before she starts brewing and wings it as she goes along. Her spells usually turn out well regardless, which says something about the nature of magic, but it’s no surprise when she forgets an ingredient or skips a step.

She scoops up a handful of rosemary and adds it to her cauldron. My nose twitches as I register the improvement in the steam’s smell.

“Let it simmer for a minute, then we’re going to stir and chant,” I say.

The other witches standing in a loose circle around me nod. Teddy shifts on the stool she’s perched on and I lift my eyebrows at her. I suggested she sit out this month’s Circle and let her husbands brew for her, since she’s looking puffy and drawn. She scowled ferociously and said that bearing twins never kept her out of a Circle, so having Gabe’s baby certainly wasn’t going to. I held up my hands and backed away. I learned early in her first pregnancy not to argue with a pregnant Teddy.

It wastes my time and annoys the Teddy.

She sighs. “If I admit you’re right, you’re not allowed to gloat.”

“I would never gloat.” I would, of course, but not when she’s obviously uncomfortable. “Want to use it as is or get one of the guys to finish it for you?”

Her mouth thins. A warning sign. She’s either about to get really stubborn or snark.

She doesn’t get the chance to be either, because Darwin and Gabe appear, walking down the tunnel that leads from the surface. Gabe gets a glimpse of Teddy’s face and blurs to her side. He eases her off the stool.

“Manhandle me and I’ll unman you,” Teddy warns. “Your bits have served their purpose.”

Chuckling, Gabe kisses her into submission as he carries her to the day bed in one corner of the cave. Darwin takes Teddy’s place at the cauldron without a word.

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