Page 171 of Balance

“Someone is demanding to see you,” he announced—of course, already painting me in a bad light. I hadn’t demanded at all; it’d been only a suggestion.

“Someone?” Wariness had entered Joe’s voice, and his chair scratched across the concrete floor.

Before Joe could even come around his desk, Gregory had already swung the door open, revealing me to the inhabitants of the small office.

Joe’s square frame tensed as he paused at the corner of his desk, and he turned his accusing gaze toward Gregory. “Kathleen,” he said, still glaring at Gregory. “Did you seriously just leave her out in the hallway so you could be a dramatic ass?”

I pursed my lips, realization sinking in.

Yes, Gregory did understand human customs—he wasn’t that thick. And he totally would keep me out here to be an ass.

It didn’t matter—I sucked in a breath, concentrating on my breath to let my ire fade—I couldn’t call him out on it. I needed his help.

I turned to Joe instead, meeting the man’s gentle gaze. He looked tired, but considering he had three children to care for now, that was understandable. “Hello, Joe.” I stepped into the room, loosening my yellow-orange shawl. It was probably best to get right to the point; I, too, had Jonathon to return to. My husband was almost useless when it came to the care of magically gifted children. Last week, I’d only been gone for four hours before he’d trapped Jordan in a binding curse. “Gregory and I have business, but we needed a witness.”

“A witness?” Joe’s thick brows lifted, and he frowned at me. “Are you asking him for another favor? Did you forget what happened last time?”

“I don’t have a choice.” I crossed the small room, ignoring the desks to my left and right as I leaned on Joe’s desk.

Out of all the fae, Gregory was the most trustworthy.

Which wasn’t really saying a lot, actually. But Ididn’thave a choice. My family’s safety was on the line.

“Michael came to me.” My heart fluttered at the recollection—at the serious and solemn look on his usually-carefree face. “He had a vision.”

Understanding crossed his expression, and he nodded. “What did he say this time?” he asked. Gregory also moved into alertness from his position near the wall—I hadn’t exactly told him the details.

“That I was going to die,” I started, the words exploding from me in a rush; and as scary as the thought was—it wasn’t that revelation which caused my heart to pound in fear. It was what came after…

Gregory and Joe exchanged a knowing glance, both feeling the anticlimactic tone of my statement.

“We all die.” Joe shrugged. “Why are you worried?”

If only that’d have been the only thing. I clutched my hands to my chest, remembering. “He said my granddaughter would be powerful but would struggle in life because of my failure. We won’t be close, but if she chooses to accept her role despite her circumstances, my death will change her very nature and potentially destroy balance.”

Joe wasn’t moved at my words, instead he rubbed his chin.

“Michael certainly has a flair, doesn’t he? Don’t take him literally—fortunetellers are always wordy. We have safeguards in place. Nothing is going to happen.” Joe nodded in Gregory’s direction. “What do you want from him?”

“I’m asking for the fae’s assistance.” I pressed my palms into the table so hard my knuckles turned white. My long, unmanageable hair fell across my face.

I’d never told anyone this before—it would put everyone who knew in danger.

But Joe and Gregory were the closest friends I had, and I needed their help. My son might only be two, and the timeline of the prediction so far away, but one day he would grow. I had to think of the future.

“I can’t protect my family alone, and it’s not safe at all. Things fall off the radar. For example, I would be killed if it were discovered I was directly descended from Tu.”

A sense of dread filled me at the darkening of the two men’s expressions, and, for a moment, I wondered if my trust might have been misplaced.

After all, they were honor-bound to obey the law.

“That complicates things.” Joe’s solemn reply echoed through the room.

I glanced at the two of them—my attention having turned to the top of the brown folders on Joe’s desk. My vision had blurred, and my thoughts were scrambling, so I couldn’t make out the words on the topmost document. I’d seen enough, though, to know that it was just paperwork onthatcase.

The one that, to Joe’s annoyance, constantly seemed to get away.

“Kathleen?” Gregory moved between us, turning me from the desk and grasping my hands. The fae was watching me with an almost human-like expression—the first since we’d first met as children. “What is it that you want from me? What can I do?”