Wolf Moon Rising (Beaux Rêve Coven 3)

“I didn’t make it that far. The guard stopped me as I entered. Then he called for reinforcements…and a harness.” She grimaced. “The harness was a prophylactic.”

“To prevent you from using magic?” Bryn asked, her hand now atop the one Aoife held fisted in her lap.

Aoife nodded. “I told them the device wasn’t necessary, and that I hadn’t come to cause any harm. I just wanted to talk to my father. They said they’d pass along the message then laughed. They wrestled me back to the opening then shoved me through. The harness released the second I was back inside the portal.”

Which explained why she’d carried another male’s scent. Not a lover’s. He drew a relieved breath, and then stiffened as he realized she’d been manhandled. Now, he wanted blood.

Radha frowned. “So, what do fairies have against witches?”

Aoife shrugged. “My mother never explained. She preferred to never talk about my father. Said it was too painful. Apparently, young fairies leave their realm to spend time among humans—one year. Sort of like the Amish with their Rumspringa. It’s a chance for them to get to know our world. Not that they are given a chance to stay if they want to. The tradition is more about knowing your enemies…”

Sigurd glanced around the room, wondering if anyone else was as dumbfounded as he was. The frowns were dark and deep. He’d never heard of fairies crossing and didn’t understand why they would consider humans enemies.

“Anyway,” she continued, her shoulders drooping, “my mother met my father during his year. At first, they had no idea the other wasn’t human. When she became pregnant, he grew distant. After she confided her true nature, he acted as though she’d stabbed him in the back. He told her he was fairy, and that if the child was male, his people would claim it. But if the child was female…” she gulped, “they’d return for her male child. Said that was just the way the fae society worked, and then he disappeared.

“My mother spent years searching for a way to enter the fairy realm to ask him to reconsider. She didn’t want me living under that shadow. When she found the spell I used tonight…” Aoife grew pale and her diamond eyes filled with tears. “She tried it once with me when I was a child. Then again, when I reached puberty. That time, she never returned.” She drew a quick breath. “I can only assume that, with their antipathy toward witches, she’s dead.”

Bryn sighed. “I can’t believe you kept this to yourself for so many years.”

“I know. I’m sorry. But my mother created the glamour spell that hides my true appearance. Keeping this up has been exhausting.” Her gaze went to Sigurd. “And while everyone’s been so happy here, being wooed and marrying, I’ve been so afraid.”

Sigurd held her gaze. He knew all she saw was his stony façade, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about her subterfuge. Her lies. While he’d been spinning dreams about making a life with her, she’d ensured no man entered her bed. What he’d thought was modesty was her dodging fate.

Ethan pushed up from his seat. “We all have a lot to think about, but it’s late. Sigurd, will you stay behind? I’d like a word.”

Sigurd gave a curt nod then glanced at Hamdir. “Make sure she returns to her cottage. She doesn’t leave again.”

Hamdir gave a mock salute then circled the table. He waited while Aoife rose, her face drained of blood and her usual vibrancy, then offered his arm.

The others in the room quickly filed out, leaving only Ethan and Bryn.

Bryn gave Ethan a stern look, her dark brows drawing together. “I know this isn’t good. The lies. The fact she’s part fae. We have enough complications worrying about my sisters being taken by rogue demons. Now this. But we have another problem. She entered their realm.” Her gaze went to Sigurd. “You followed her. You know where this entrance is…?”

He nodded.

“I want the tree burned tomorrow. We need to shut that door for good.”

Sigurd was glad Aoife wasn’t there to hear that command. His jaw hardened. No matter how important that doorway was to her, her safety and theirs as a community meant more.

“Bryn, I’m a low demon,” Ethan said. “Too far down the rung to have ever had experience with or even heard stories about fairies. How worried should we be? If she doesn’t have children, she’s safe, right?”

Bryn sighed. “Ethan, she’s a witch. It’s not just her duty to procreate, it’s a physical imperative. I always suspected she’d never engaged in sex, but now I’m sure she hasn’t. She wasn’t willing to risk having a child. I can’t even imagine how frightened she must be or how hopeless.”

Ethan drummed the table. “There has to be some way around this. Can’t your coven create some sort of spell to keep the fairies from knowing about any birth?”

A line formed be

tween her brows. “I don’t know much about fairies. But I suppose we could do a cloaking spell. But we couldn’t discriminate between human and fairy. No one outside of Bonne Nuit could see inside…”

“But the townspeople who travel—”

She shook her head. “It wouldn’t work. They’d leave and not be able to find their back. If not for them, we could make an opening, a doorway, and keep it guarded, but…”

“So, she must never have a child,” Sigurd whispered. The skin around his eyes drew tight.

Ethan’s gaze was pitying. “You can’t risk a mistake.”

Which meant he could never risk being inside her. He clenched his hands.