Page 23 of The Seer

“Sorry.” She put the lead tip to paper. “Okay. Who’s first?”

Creed rattled off the Sentinels under Damian’s command. “Don’t forget to add the Aether and his kid to the list.”

“Got it. Who else?” Brenna asked.

“Clearly me,” Taryn said as she attempted to recall who’d been present whenever she visited. “Oh! Your family, right, Eoin?”

He nodded briskly, reading over Brenna’s shoulder as she jotted more names. “Add Ronan and me da, love.”

“Like I could ever forget Ronan,” she said with an eye roll.

“Don’t be lustin’ after me brother-in-law, woman. You won’t like the consequences if Dubheasa finds out. She’s a might jealous, she is.”

“More than you?” Taryn taunted with a teasing grin.

“She’s got those Guardian powers now, so I’m not intendin’ to test her.” The twinkle in his emerald eyes belied his serious tone.

“I’ll take my chances,” Brenna replied dryly. “Who else?”

Taryn hated to bring it up, mainly because she didn’t care to know—or so she told herself—but it had to be asked. “What about any steady girlfriend of Fintan’s? Is he likely to allow his, um, lovers to…” Her embarrassment set her face ablaze, but thankfully, they ignored her discomfort to focus on the question.

“If he had hook-ups, I’ve never known about them. He’s insanely private.” Narissa shrugged. “But even if he were entertaining lovers, he wouldn’t allow them full access to the place.”

Feeling somewhat relieved to learn he wasn’t going steady with anyone, Taryn nodded and stepped away from the group. What did it matter whether he had a revolving door of lovers or not? He didn’t want her as one. Not in any significant way. And the damnable part of it was their ridiculous mental connection.

“What about Aunt Odessa?” Brenna asked in a worried voice. “Do you think she can access the house?”

“There’s only one way to find out, honey,” Narissa stated. Her grimness prodded Taryn to turn around. Their gazes locked. “You don’t know her, but the rest of us do. She’s not a particularly nice person. In fact, she’s downright meaner than a rattlesnake and ten times as lethal.”

Stomach churning with dread, Taryn asked, “Do you think she did something to Fintan?”

“I wouldn’t put it past the hateful heifer, but I can’t see how she’d get the best of him when she’s never been able to before.”

“Would it help if I went with you to see her?” Taryn would rather stay with Fintan, but she didn’t understand how she’d do him any good at this point.

“No. Absolutely not.” Narissa focused on Creed. “I intend to leave Brenna and Eoin here to protect Fintan should he need it. Will you guard the property?”

After a visible internal struggle, he agreed, and her shoulders sagged in what Taryn assumed was relief.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

“Go home, sugar. There’s nothing more you can do here, and your place is probably the safest for you.”

Rejected again. Why did she feel like crying at being dismissed from Fintan’s life again? Why did she care after twenty-odd years?

Before she could leave, Creed clasped her hand and squeezed. “She’ll stay. Right now, she may be the only one able to reach inside your cousin’s mind if needed.”

The tsunami of gratitude she felt for his understanding nearly took her out at the knees, and she tightened her grip.

Narissa dropped her gaze to their joined hands. Any of the woman’s deeper emotions were masked, leaving Taryn to wonder what she thought of Creed’s protectiveness. “Sure, sugar. Whatever you say.”

The sharp tap-tap-tap of her retreating heels on the marbled floor echoed in the still room. Weirdly, they all released a collective breath.

“I don’t think she was too happy,” Brenna said in a low voice as if fearful Narissa might overhear from wherever she’d stalked off to.

“She’ll get over it,” Creed said coolly. “She always does.” He softened when he looked down at Brenna’s lovely face. “Will you and Eoin be so kind as to watch over Fintan? He’s one of the few friends I have left.”

After they teleported away, Taryn locked gazes with Creed. “And then there were two.”

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