Page 14 of Changelings
Imogen said nothing, only blinking up at him.
Clearing his throat, he dared a step forward. “I wish our meeting could have been under better circumstances, and I apologize for frightening you by pursuing you to the Brádaigh estate.”
Again she said nothing. Again he took a step.
“I wasn’t myself. Not just because of the night before. I saw you, and…” He smiled.
Imogen’s arms and shoulders dropped. “And what?”
“Iknew,” he breathed. “The ancestors speak of what will happen when a manticore finds theirkigara, their life mate. I opened my eyes and there you were and—I knew.”
Her throat bobbed on a swallow, her eyes growing round.
He knew she was moving backwards now, knew he was following her step for step, but he couldn’t stop, not now that he was so close.
“You see, for my people, when we have found our—”
“No.”
“—our life mate, our soul shines, our wings tremble, and—”
“No.”
“—anda single feather falls—”
“No no no—”
“—fallsfrom our wing, a sign that—”
“Nooooooo!” And before Balar could stop it, a door shut right in his face.
6
Imogen heaved, back against the door, fighting down utter panic. All week, she’d changed her route to the Brádaigh estate in an effort to avoidthis.
He found me.
He thinks—
Heart thundering in her chest, Imogen slapped her hand on her forehead, feeling just how cool and clammy she’d gone.
She’d asked Sorcha about the manticores, of course. It’d been unnerving to hear that Balar, the eldest, didn’t usually chase women down country lanes. Fates—well, it was good he didn’t in general, but bad to hear he’d singled her out.
And even worse still, Sorcha said he’d come back the next day, asking about her.
Horrible.
Imogen had spent years trying to fade into the background. To have no one take notice of her. That he seemed determined to take notice of her only added fuel to the fire of her suspicions that he’d come to some terrifying realization about her.
And now he was on her doorstep, making absolutely wild claims.
Hand over her racing heart, Imogen stepped away from the latched door to stare at it. Maybe she could wait him out. Surely, he’d get bored. There was plenty to occupy her inside—she’d just hunker down here, ride out the—
A cheerful bark on the other side of the door had her cursing under her breath.
Shadow was outside. With him.
Scrubbing her hands down her face, Imogen groaned loudly and with feeling. “No no no, this can’t be right.”
