Page 33 of A Hint of Delirium

“Her eyes,” Sage murmured. “I know these eyes.”

I held in the gasp that threatened to escape. Who was this chick?

Alec approached us just as Sage narrowed her eyes on me, on the verge of figuring it out. He ripped me away from her, hurling me toward the door of the restaurant.

“Beat it,” he growled.

I didn’t say a word. Instead, I hurried my ass inside and prayed she didn’t figure out who I was.

17

ALEC

We sat at a table at Luka’s bar, the place unusually packed for a weekday. But I guess the fae didn’t really rest now, did they?

“So, tell me about the registry,” Sage started, getting right down to business.

I sighed. “Ansel has it, but I wouldn’t worry about getting it. I’ve been following him, but he disposed of the last name on the list,” I said.

She frowned. “How do you know that?”

“Because that’s what he’s been doing. Going down the list and eliminating everyone on it who was still alive. I think the woman he saw last was the last one, which means either he has the orb, or she didn’t have it,” I said.

Sage’s eyes widened. “If he has the orb—”

“I know.” I nodded. “It won’t be good for anyone. But if my brother had the orb, he wouldn’t still be in the human realm. He would have left immediately.”

Except I was pretty sure Violet was the only thing keeping him here. But I wasn’t about to tell Sage that. She was a purist. A mercenary for the Unseelie. She once hunted and killed any and all halflings who crossed her path. And if my predictions were right, Violet was a halfling. That was the only reason why she’d be wearing an iron anklet.

“Then we have to assume he doesn’t have the orb and neither did the last woman on the list, which means the damn thing is missing. Not just from us, but from the Ancient Order of Leviathans,” Sage grunted. “This is a shit show.”

“If only Ansel hadn’t killed that woman, I could have found out what she told him,” I murmured before taking a swig of my beer.

Sage snorted. “That’s exactly why he killed her. To keep her from telling you anything. Your brother is smart.”

“So if the woman didn’t have the orb, that means she had a daughter. All we need to do is find her daughter.” My words made it seem like an easy task, but I knew better.

Sage nodded. “I’ll do some digging around in public records. There must be a paper trail somewhere.”

“In the meantime, I’ll try to squeeze out as much information from Ansel as I can,” I said as I finished my beer. I peered down at Sage and watched as she tossed her blonde ponytail over her shoulder. “Where are you staying?” I eyed her with interest. Sage and I had a complicated relationship.

“Probably some hotel. Why?” She raised a perfectly shaped brow.

I leaned in close, our lips barely brushing against one another. “Why don’t you stay with me?”

18

ANSEL

Her daughter ran away almost twenty-six years ago. Could it be?

I paced the living room floor of my apartment and considered a multitude of possible scenarios. How the answer could have been right in front of my face the whole time was a conundrum to me. Did Vi know? Was that why she insisted on wearing the iron anklet?

If what I thought was correct, then Vi’s mom was the long-lost daughter of Marisol Santos. It would make sense. She ran away after learning she was pregnant by an Unseelie, knowing she carried the orb and would be hunted. She was a disaster waiting to happen.

I couldn’t ask Vi because I knew she would lie to protect her mother. That meant I had to ask her mom directly. It was the only way.

I glanced at my watch and realized it was too late to show up at her house. Vi would be getting home from work soon, and I didn’t want her catching me with her mom. The mystery would have to wait until tomorrow.

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