“What happened to the grandfather?” Gunner asked. “Obviously he doesn’t live in Bay City any longer.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Ezekiel shook his head. “I’m not quite sure what happened to him. In the weeks leading up to his disappearance, he kept mentioning this council not doing the right thing. He was angry, furious really, and he was really worried about you.” His eyes were kind when they locked with mine.
“I’m not an expert on what you are, or what you can do, but there was real fear living in his heart for a few months there at the end, Scout. He loved you but felt you were in danger. He said he had a plan should it come to it, but he didn’t want to activate that plan. That was the last I ever heard from him.
“He missed three coffees in a row before I went to check his farm. It was empty. Everything was gone essentially, other than some things that were too big to move. After the fact, I heard his house went back to the bank because he never made a payment on it again. He simply vanished.”
“What about his family?” Rooster asked. “What happened to them?”
“They vanished with him. None of them were ever seen again. That’s why when Drake mentioned stumbling across a Child of the Stars, I wanted to see you. He showed me a photo and I knew the second I saw you who I was looking at. I assumed you would be able to provide me with answers. Apparently, that’s not the case.”
I didn’t know what to make of any of it. It was a ridiculous story. Yet I couldn’t completely dismiss it.
Perhaps reading my distress, Gunner moved his hands to my neck and started massaging. “Why don’t you start again? From the beginning. We need to know everything.”
“That’s why I’m here. Now that I’ve found you again, I’m not leaving until I know what happened to your family. Questions have haunted me forever. I will have my answers before I die. Mark my words.”
It was a bold prediction, one I refused to make my concern. “Just tell me about this family. I want to know everything you know.”
“Absolutely.”
Three
Gunner watched me as if I were a bomb ready to go off when we returned to my cabin. It was essentially his cabin now too. Although he had his own place, he spent every night with me and the kitten I’d adopted. I’d never considered myself likely to be domesticated, but upon landing in Hawthorne Hollow, it happened pretty quickly.
“Do you want something to eat?” he asked.
I leaned over to scoop up Merlin. The kitten was on me the second I walked through door, as if to say “I can’t believe you left me alone for so long.” I stroked his soft fur rather than answer.
“Scout.” Gunner’s voice was soft, which is what drew my eyes to him.
“I’m okay,” I said. “I’m not sure I even believe him. Even if I did, there’s nothing actionable there.”
“We could go to Bay City.”
“And do what?”
“I don’t know. We could look for the farm. Ezekiel can probably give us an address. There’s a chance that visiting might trigger your memory.”
It was a thought, although one I wasn’t ready to entertain. “I think I just want to sit on it a bit. Is that okay with you?”
“Of course it’s okay. Whatever you need, I’m here. It’s just...” He hesitated, causing me to arch an eyebrow. “I think it would be better for you if we talked about this. You have a tendency to close off sometimes, and I don’t think that’s healthy.”
That made me smile. “Since when did you get your degree in mental health?”
“I’m just worried about you, Scout.”
He was so sincere I couldn’t lash out at him and demand silence. “Fine.” I set the kitten on the floor and moved to the counter where I kept the cans of cat food. “What do you want to discuss?”
“Don’t do that.” He wagged a finger. “I hate it when you use that tone.”
“I hate it when you use that tone,” I shot back. “I’m not a child who needs scolding.”
Gunner folded his arms over his chest, his expression stony. “That’s not going to work either. I refuse to let you draw me into a fight. I’m not storming out and leaving you to sulk. It’s just not going to happen.”
My scowl deepened. “That’s not what I was going for.”
He arched an eyebrow and waited.
“Fine.” I threw up my hands. “I’m not sure I can talk about it.” The admission made me feel vulnerable. “It’s all so ... weird. How can he possibly remember me if he can’t remember my supposed grandfather’s last name?”
“That’s a concern,” he acknowledged, using his most pragmatic voice. “I’m not sure how I feel about that either. The thing is, given his age, it’s likely that certain details stuck with him. He’s a shaman, so he can register magic, and you’re the most magical being I know.”
I smirked. “Ooh, so romantic.”
“It is romantic,” he agreed. “That’s not what I was talking about, though. I’m talking about your actual powers.”
“It’s still hard for me to wrap my head around.”
“Baby, when you first showed up on the scene, I was convinced you were going to be trouble.” His smile slid into a dare when I shot him a dirty look. “For the record, I was right about that. You’re all kinds of trouble.”
“I’m an angel in black leather.”
“A fallen angel.” His grin turned wolfish and then he sobered. “Despite all that, I sensed your power. Even before that first display with the Spriggans, I knew you were something special. At the time, I was trying to convince myself that you weren’t going to be my something special since I didn’t think I was ready for a relationship. Still, I knew you were the most powerful being I’d ever come into contact with. It’s not out of
