“No,” said Gillian firmly. Janet turned back to her. I . . . didn’t. I had some idea of what was going to come next, and I didn’t want to see it.
“No,” said Gillian again. “I’m not a toy that passes from hand to hand. She doesn’t get to ‘take’ me just because I have to change again. The only way you’d lose me is if I died, and since I’m not going to do that, you’re just going to have to get over this. Toby?”
“Yeah?” I asked roughly. Hearing her tell Janet “no” was more satisfying than I wanted it to be. It wasn’t as heartbreaking as hearing her tell Janet that she wasn’t going to lose her. No matter what, Janet Carter was always going to be my little girl’s mother in so many ways.
“Tell me where to be and I’ll be there.”
I took a deep breath. “I’ll send a friend of mine to pick you up at midnight tomorrow. As soon as the clock ticks over into May, he’ll be waiting for you. I’m sorry, but Janet can’t come. She’s too human, and we can’t tell people who she really is.”
“I understand,” said Gillian, and I could tell from her tone that she didn’t. And it didn’t matter because I’d done what I’d come here to do. We were all going to have to live with it.
“Great,” I said. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Janet, I appreciate your hospitality. We’ll be going now.” I turned to Tybalt, offering him my hands. He nodded once, immediately grasping my intent, and tangled his fingers through mine, pulling me into the shadows, leaving the warm, well-lit kitchen behind.
I didn’t start crying until we emerged back into my bedroom. He put his arms around me and held me until the tears stopped and the ice had melted from my hair, and neither of us said anything because there was nothing left to say.
FOUR
STACY WATCHED ME THROUGH the driver’s side window of my car, one hand resting on the wheel. “You sure you’ve got everything?” she asked.
I nodded, hoisting my backpack as if she would somehow be able to see and approve of its contents. “I even packed a toothbrush.”
“Good.” She nodded her approval. “You know May will never let me hear the end of it if I don’t make sure you’re keeping up with your dental health.”
“That’s May. Really concerned about my flossing.” I tried to keep my tone light. I thought I almost managed it.
Jazz was in no condition to go on another wild adventure, even if this one had been directly relevant to her—Selkies and Raven-maids are both skinshifters, but that’s where the relationship ends. Air and sea have never been as close as they could have been. With Jazz staying home, May was staying as well, preferring not to leave her girlfriend alone. Much as I wished things had been different, it was good to know someone would be at the house to feed the cats and Spike, none of whom did well when expected to fend for themselves.
“Are you okay?” Stacy studied me, making no effort to conceal her concern. “This is a lot. If it wouldn’t mean certain death, I’d give the sea witch a piece of my mind for putting this on you.”
“It’s my job, Stacy.”
She shook her head. “It shouldn’t have to be.”
Stacy Brown has been one of my best friends since we were both kids living in the Summerlands and trying to figure out what the world had to offer to a pair of clumsy changelings with no magic to speak of. We ran through the halls of Shadowed Hills together, we got into trouble together, and when the time came, we left for the human world together, off to seek our fortunes in the land of our mortal ancestors.
We’d both been swept up by the machinations of a man named Devin, who had run a sort of thieves’ den-slash-orphanage for changeling kids. He’d called it “Home,” and it had been one for both of us, at least for a while. At least until Stacy had found her true love and slipped away, off to settle down in a small house in Colma and raise her ever-increasing brood of changeling children. I’d been—I was—an adopted aunt to her children, and she was still one of my best friends because sometimes, when you’re lucky, the good things don’t have to change.
“Hero of the realm, remember?” I offered a crooked smile before hooking a thumb toward the rest of my party, gathered on the edge of the pier and waiting for the next stage of our journey to begin. “Besides, I have these assholes to keep me out of the water. I’ll be fine.”
“I wish you didn’t have to go.”
“So do I. I appreciate you being willing to drive us. With Danny picking up Gillian, we needed a ride.”
Stacy’s mouth made a funny twisting motion. “I still say he could have fit you all in his cab.”
“We’re spending the next however long in the middle of the ocean together. We’ll have plenty of time to talk. Now get out of here before the Luidaeg shows up and decides you’re coming with us.”
“Open roads,” Stacy said.
“Kind fires,” I replied, and stepped back, letting her pull away from the curb. I stayed where I was, watching the taillights dwindle as she rolled down the street. Then she turned a corner and was gone, and I finally turned back to my boys.
As my squire, part of Quentin’s job is accompanying me when I do stupid shit; it’s a learning experience. Most of what he’s learning is how to get blood out of his clothes, but hey, at least it’s educational. There’d been no chance of my leaving him behind. As for Tybalt, normally his duties to the Court of Cats would have necessitated him remaining in San Francisco, no matter how much he disliked the idea. With Ginevra holding his throne, he could do as he liked, and what he liked was keeping me out of trouble.
Two more figures walked up to the pair. Quentin promptly swept the taller into a hug. I hesitated before approaching the now larger group.
“Dean?” I blinked as the second figure came more clearly into view. “Marcia?”
“Hi,” she said, with a quick wave of her free hand. She was hauling a suitcase that looked nearly as big as she was.
Quentin loosened his grip on his boyfriend enough for the other boy to lean around and offer me a sheepish smile. “Hello, Sir Daye,” he said. “Did Quentin not tell you we were coming?”
“Not in so many words, although I suppose I should have guessed about you, at least,” I said. “Is your mom meeting us there?”
Dean nodded. “She says it’s important to make a good entrance.”
“She would.” Dean’s mother, Dianda Lorden, was the Duchess of Saltmist, the nearest and largest Undersea demesne. It made sense for her to be present. It also made sense for Dean, as someone raised in the Undersea and now holding a title on the land, to be there.