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He looked thoroughly unconvinced, but he said nothing and just took a swig of his drink.

We sat in silence, listening to the night sounds on the bayou and watching heat lightning flicker on the horizon. I tried to tell myself that I had just created the whole crazy event in my pregnancy brain. I took a sip of my tea, suppressing a wince at the lingering burn in my arm where it had been grabbed today. I obviously didn’t hide my reaction well enough, however. Etienne carefully pulled me onto his lap.

“Okay, spill. What happened?”

“Nothing,” I insisted, knowing I was sounding less and less convincing.

But the hot ache in my arm—and the memory of those voices, wouldn’t let me forget.

He watched me over the rim of his glass. “Well, something is on your mind. You’ve been very quiet tonight. Usually by now you would have rehashed the whole day in blow-by-blow details.”

I laughed, but it came out weak. “Did I ever tell you I hate being predictable?”

He set his glass down and his free hand trailed slow circles on my thigh. “You are never predictable, chérie. But you are…distracted. Since the bayou.”

It was a good subtle opening. He waited for me to fill it.

I took a deep breath and looked out into the dark. “Something did grab me,” I said. “Not an animal. Not a person. I’m not sure what. But it felt—wrong.” The actual word that came to mind was “evil,” but I couldn’t bring myself to be that dramatic.

Still, Etienne went still. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

I shrugged, staring into my tea. “Because the kids were right there, and I didn’t want to freak them out. And you were so…happy, you know? I thought maybe I imagined it, or it was just some bayou spirit playing games. Or maybe I’m just losing it already, from the hormones.”

He lifted my chin with one finger until I looked at him. “You are not losing it. You are the bravest person I know. But if something is out there, you must tell me. I would have chased it down?—”

“I know.” I pressed my lips together. “Which is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you. I coouldn’t ruin the day. And I was okay.” I hoped I was okay. I still felt so strange.

He sighed, not angry, just concerned. “I understand. But next time, even if you think it is nothing, tell me. Please. I do not like that you were alone with that.”

I nodded, fighting the burn in my eyes. “I promise.”

He wrapped me tighter in his arms, rocking us both. “Tell me everything,” he says. “How did it feel? Where did it come from?”

I walked him through everything I remembered: the pressure, the cold, the voices arguing, the single word—“prenze”—that stuck in my head. I tried to imitate the sound, the cadence, but it felt silly out loud.

He listened, thoughtful, then says, “I don’t know the word. It is not from any tongue I have heard. But maybe one of the Guard would know. The know many of the creatures in the bayou. Or maybe someone in your family might know. Could it be a magic word?” He kisses my forehead. “Tomorrow, we will find out.”

I leaned into him, letting the porch and the night settle around us. “Why would if focus on me? I feel like whenever anything strange happens, it’s because of me.”

“You are powerful, Mally.” He said it so simply, so matter-of-factly, that I almost believe it. “That’s why you are a focus of those who want power. But our family working together is even more powerful. Untouchable.”

The words settle in my bones, and I wanted to believe that.

We cuddled like that a long time, sharing the silence and the peace.

Finally, Etienne says, “We should sleep. Tomorrow will be busy.”

Tomorrow was going to be very busy. All our families would be here and we’d share our wonderful news—if my mother hadn’t already spilled the beans. She might not want to be called, “Granny,” but she couldn’t want to be a grandmother. I finished my tea and follow him inside, feeling a little calmer. Etienne had that ability. To convince me everything would be fine.

Whatever’s coming, we’ll face it together.

I just hope it’s enough.

Chapter Six

Today was supposed to be a simple, happy day. Etienne and I had opted to invite our family to the house for a brunch—our family party to share the news about the baby. It wasn’t difficult to plan on such short notice, because aside from Victoria having a regular day job as a doctor, all my other family members had pretty flexible schedules. So, a Tuesday morning gathering was great for everyone. Even Victoria as it turned out. Of course, she already knew the big news, having diagnosed my condition.

Diagnose and condition sounded so ominous when applied to a pregnancy, but there it was.