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“I’m no saint, Dethridge.”

“I never said you were. I’m merely saying you’re a good man. A deserving one.”

CHAPTER19

Trevor played what the Aether had said over in his mind. Before Damian left, he’d repeated what Soleil said.

There was no curse.

Circumstances and poor decisions had led to the loss Trev associated with Simon and his family. If that were the case, why was the weight of the past so fucking heavy?

He went in search of Soleil and found her gazing out at the beach from the hallway window. As he approached, she turned.

“Spring is livid, and rightfully so!” Temper added a steely edge to her statement. “Years’ worth of work has been destroyed. Those plants were her babies.”

Trevor remained silent. Likely, Soleil would've felt the same had it been her workplace. Her devastation would be complete.

“You probably think we’re foolish to look at plants like?—”

He cupped her jaw and bent to meet her fiery gaze. “Let me stop you right there, Dalli. I don’t think either of you is foolish. Especially not over a loss of that magnitude. A lot of hard work and magical energy went into your projects. I’d be furious if it were me.”

Her shoulders sagged, and sadness tugged down the corners of her mouth. “I feel so bad for her.”

“Me, too.” Trev drew Soleil into his embrace, offering comfort. “We’ll find who’s responsible, and they’ll pay for their evilness. After, you and I can help her restore whatever we can.”

“You mean that, don’t you? You’ll help her?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. You’re such a good person.”

He snorted. “Don’t get carried away, Dalli. I’m no saint.”

For a moment,she tightened her arms, and he could sense she wanted to argue the point, but she didn’t.“I keep coming back to the rainforest project, but I can’t connect the dots.”

“It boils down to greed and corruption. Whoever has the most to gain by stopping you.”

Her head shot up and nailed him in the chin. “Oof! Sorry.” Her first action was to rub his chin, though her head must’ve been sore from the blow. But such was Soleil. Trevor was learning that she always put others above herself.

“I’m fine, Dalli.” He brushed his nose against hers. “It takes more than a hard head to break my jaw.”

She grinned at his teasing, then sobered almost immediately. “You said it was whoever has the most to gain. We’ve been fighting big pharma forever. Those corporations will go out of business if individuals can extract what they need from nature.”

“I agree. Yet how didtheyfind you and Spring? Thorne Manor and the surrounding landare well hidden. It’s difficult to believe big pharma henchmen can find her place or get past the wards. Same for you.”

She nodded slowly. “Magical means were usedto find us.”

“Yes. We need to find the connection between the two.”

“We make a good team,” she saidwith a triumphant smile.

As desperately as he wanted to agree, he held back, afraid to give her encouragement until he’d exorcised his demons.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make it sound like anything but investigative teamwork.” She drew away, and Trevor missed the feel of her in his arms.

“I didn’t take it any other way, Dalli,” he assured her. “I’m trying not to be overly sensitive to your innocent remarks.”

“Good.” She ran her palm down the buttoned seam of his shirt as if attempting to smooth the already wrinkle-free material. “That’s good.”