Page 127 of Cathmoir's Sons

“Can you translate back to him?” Law asks Caileán. She nods.

“Thank you for your faith, father,” Law says. Caileán repeats in Italian. “I will do everything in my power to keep this storm from hurting the town. You must warn your family and friends to stay indoors. Not to venture out onto the waves. The storm will last three days. Stay inside until it is over.”

“Thank you, angel, thank you,” Caileán translates the old man’s reply.

“You must not tell anyone but your family about this,” Law warns. “If more people learn that the town is protected byangels, they will come in search of my power, and I’ll have to leave. Do you understand, father?”

The old man and his nephews nod.

“If there are other things that will hurt the town, I will tell you and your nephews. You must keep the source of your knowledge secret. Can you do that while spreading the word in the town?” Law asks.

The old man and his nephews nod again. One of the younger men reaches for Law, takes Law’s hand between his, and bows his head over it.

“God bless you. We will keep your secrets. We lost our father to the sea ten years ago. To a storm like this. Many have been lost over the years. Please protect our town, angel,” he says in Italian, with Caileán slowly translating.

Law turns his hand within the man’s and shakes. “We will.” He gives the man the villa’s address. “If there’s trouble, come find me there. Anyone at that address knows who I am and will get a message to me.”

The nephew pumps Law’s hand. “Thank you, angel, thank you.”

“Go back inside and stay there until the storm is over,” Law says. “Stay safe.”

Bowing, the three men make their way back up the steps into the upper part of the town.

I lift my eyebrow at my brother once the humans are out of hearing. “Allying with humans? How the mighty Cait have fallen.”

He rolls his eyes at me. “It makes sense to have them on our side. The old man must have fae blood; he recognizes me no matter what face I wear. His kin might, too. There’s no point in trying to conceal that we’re something other than human if he can see through glamor.”

“And when they discover we’re decidedly unangelic?”

Law pulls Caileán close and nuzzles her temple. “Speak for yourself. I’m a perfect angel. And a cupcake. With toe beans.”

Caileán’s laughter rings out louder than the thunder.

Chapter 36

Preparation and Perspiration

LUCA

“Does Bevington seem smaller to you?” I ask Caileán as we walk together toward Old Chapel.

She’s carrying a small bouquet of forget-me-nots for Jane, who messaged Caileán to say she’s back on campus. We’re both bundled up in hats, coats, scarves, and mittens against Bevington’s cold, so different from Scilla’s mellow winter chill. It’s one of those crystal-clear winter days at Bevvy, with a sky so high and pale it’s almost white. The cold’s tinted the tip of Caileán’s nose pink and I want to feel the chill of it against my lips, warm it with my breath.

“I want to kiss the tip of your nose, cold girl,” I tell her.

“Nothing’s stopping you.”

“You sure?”

She nods.

I pull her into my arms and kiss her exactly as I’d imagined. Her nose is like marble against my lips but slowly warms to flesh. She smiles up at me.

“Better?” I ask.

“Better,” she confirms, pushing up for a kiss. “And yes, sometimes Bevvy seems very small to me. Since I’m probably going to get shit today about our relationship, that’s a good reminder that there’s a whole world outside these ivory towers that doesn’t care you’re my student or about the years between us.”

“There’s a whole world out there that doesn’t care that you’re a queen of Faery and I’m your adoring subject.”

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