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Soleil’s worried voice echoedin his mind, dragging him from the past.Her flawless brows were drawn togetherin her concern.

“Who’s Deni?”she asked.

“No one I intend to discuss with you.”

Her frown dropped away, and her eyes cooled. The milk chocolate color darkened, telling of her unhappy state, and she gave a slight nod, acknowledging his rudeness.

“Understood. Sorry for the intrusion. It won’t happen again.”

Her tone was one he didn’t recognizefrom her, and it grated on his last nerve.Trevor also wanted to rip off the fucking fake mask she wore.

Soleil wasn’t that person.

She wasn’t Deni.

But she looked like her, or rather, this made-up version of her did.

His fingers went numb, and when his soup spoon clattered to the bowl, Soleil flinched. From his oddball reaction or the loud sound, he couldn’t tell, but it stoodto reasonshe’d be jumpy from the shooting earlier. He should be considerate of her PTSD, but he was suffering a shock of his own.

How had he not recognized their resemblance before?There had beenmany times he’d seen Deni’s chestnut hair pulled up in a messy knot, high on her head, setting off her graceful neck.Many times, he’dseen her tinkering in the kitchen as she whipped up one of her delicious creations, looking for all the world just as delectable.

Cherry pie.

It had been Deni’s favorite.

Trevor stared at Soleil in horror, and she stared right back, equally as horrified.

Were his burgeoning feelings for her an echo of the past?

“Mr. Blane?”

Lily’s concerned voice penetrated the chaos of his mind, and he inched his head in her direction, though his gaze remained locked with Soleil’s.

Without a doubt, she’d been privy to his thought dump, and she was hurt by what she’d seen.

“I’m sorry, Dalli,”he whispered through their connection.

Her eyes dropped to her bowl, and with a dignity he would never have associated with her, she placed her spoon beside the dish and picked up the napkin to dab her lips. Finally, she glanced up, and there was pity in the look she gave him.

“For what, Trevor? Being in love with another provincial earth elemental? That’s what she was, wasn’t she? That’s why you hold witches like me in such contempt.”

“I don’t!”

“Maybe not as much anymore, but you did when you first met me. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll admit it.”

But he couldn’t be honest with himself. Not in a room with six other people, all looking between them with varying degrees of curiosity or amusement.

“Mr. Blane, are you okay?” Lily asked.

“Trevor,” he corrected, his focus locked on Soleil. “And I’m fine, Lily. I need to discuss something with Soleil. If you give me a half hour, we’ll begin the second phase of your healing.”

“Sure.”

Her voice sounded small, and it caught his attention. “You okay, kid?”

“Yeah.” She shrugged, not meeting his eyes.

“She’s crushing on you.Seemsto be a freaky power you hold over women. Don’t worry. She’ll get over it. I imagine we all do,”Soleil said.