Lupin dropped his gaze to his wedding ring and slowly twisted it. “When I agreed to help your mother all those years ago, I broke the rules. I directly interfered with your fate by removing you from this realm. And it nearly cost me what I hold most dear.”
“Saint?” I asked, concerned.
“Yes. No reason to look so worried. All has been forgiven. But I was given a warning.” He lifted his hand to his mouth and kissed his ring, a shudder rolling through his body. “If I step out of line again, I’ll be stripped of my power. All will be lost to me. My magic and the Emporium… but also my husband. Saint is human, you see. I gave him immortality. However, it’s not permanent. I infused an amulet with the power to bind his life force to mine. If I lose my magic…”
My heart sank. “It’ll undo the spell and make him mortal again?”
He nodded. “So despite the frustration it causes you, I hope you understand why I must be a cryptic butthole wizard.”
I choked on my spit. “Oh my god. I didn’t know you heard me when I said that. I’m so sorry—”
He held up a hand. “No apology necessary. I find it quite funny, to be honest. When I told Saint, he laughed so hard he shot tea from his nose.”
I smiled at that. “If it’s against the rules to interfere with my destiny again, how were you able to send me to Bremloc?”
“I did nothing of the sort,” he said in mock astonishment. “The Emporium tapped into your sadness and led you to me. You made the wish. You made the magic work. I merely gave you the tools to do so.”
Flutters swarmed my belly, tiny and quick, like hummingbird’s wings. “Best wish I ever made.”
“It pleases me to hear that,” Lupin said. “I swore to Cynthia I’d take you far away from this realm to keep you safe. I never intended to break that promise. Yet, seeing how unhappy you were in your other world, I couldn’t bear it a day longer. So, I got creative in order to prevent breaking the rules. A magical loophole, if you will. I harnessed the power of a birthday wish, combined with the mana infused in the wishing stone, to bring you home.”
“To bring me home,” I repeated. “Because I was really born in this world?”
“Yes.”
It was still hard for me to wrap my head around. “Why did my mom come to your shop? What was she protecting me from?”
“Your father’s enemies. Enemies that became hers when she fell in love with him.” He released a shaky breath. “And here I am years later, steering you toward that very path.”
“Was my dad someone important? Like on a Most Wanted poster for being a criminal mastermind?”
“Important? Yes. Though, I wouldn’t say he was a mastermind in any sense of the word, nor a criminal.” Lupin’s pale eyes shone with something soft. “He was, however, very charismatic and had a wonderful sense of humor, always making those around him laugh. Traits you inherited.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m charismatic. I’m too quirky and awkward.”
“Tell that to your harem.”
I groaned. “Don’t call them that.”
“It’s true, whether you admit it or not.” A sudden seriousness took him over then. “Just as it’s true that opening your café forever altered your fate. Think of it like reaching a crossroads and choosing a direction. All paths unrelated to that direction will disappear, as will all the other possibilities for how your life could play out.”
I plopped down into the closest armchair, too unsettled to stand. “Am I going to die or something?”
“You very well could. It’s also possible you’ll prevail in the coming challenges and live happily with all of your men by your side.”
“I like option B. Let’s go with that one.”
Lupin smiled, though it didn’t fully reach his eyes. “Your actions from here on out will be the deciding factor. As it stands, the bad endings far outweigh the good.”
“Oh, lovely.” My lungs felt tight as I breathed out. “Is one of those possible doom endings still at the hands of one of my men?”
“Yes.”
I hated even considering it may be Rowan. I felt in my heart he’d never hurt me. “Can you tell me which one?”
“No. That would be against the rules.” Lupin sat in the chair opposite mine. “My advice on the matter is to follow your heart. It will never lead you astray, even in times when your mind tries to convince you otherwise.”
“Love isn’t logical.” I shifted in my chair, still uneasy.
