Page 47 of Whispers of Wisteria

“I don’t.” Okay, maybe I did, just a little. My jaw tightened, but he wasn’t paying attention to me. “You’re no better.”

“Just meet us back home,” Titus breathed and, ignoring my accusation, added, “I’ve got her.”

He stepped past Catalina and left before I could stop him.

Catalina looked disapprovingly after him, then turned to me. “What are you two doing with a fae girl anyway?”

She turned to my mother, voice edged with something wary. “She knew you. But I’ve never seen her before.”

Mom squared her jaw, and when she finally spoke, her voice was calm. “Because she was never meant to be seen.”

Catalina stiffened, but Mom barely looked at her before adding, “She’s Mu.”

Catalina’s expression didn’t shift at first. But then she blinked, tossed her hair over her shoulder, and let out a breathy laugh. “You’re joking.”

I clenched my jaw. “That’s enough.”

But Mom wasn’t finished.

“No, it’s not,” she snapped, eyes flashing. She turned her anger to me. “You should have told me the moment you found out. She shouldn’t have had to collapse. She never should have been left untreated for ten years.”

My stomach tightened, but before I could answer, Catalina cut in, her voice sharper now.

“She’s been hidden for ten years?” She looked between us, her suspicion shifting into something colder.

“Yes,” Mom sighed. “Jonathon and Abigail adopted her.”

Catalina took a step back. “Jonathon. Like—” She scoffed. “Like… the Paragon Er Bashou?ThatJonathon?”

“Would you like me to list all the people involved?” Mom raised an eyebrow. “Or are you starting to understand?”

Catalina exhaled sharply. “But… you said Jameson doesn’t know? Why not?”

Mom exhaled. “Jameson wasn’t told because it wasn’t safe.”

Catalina frowned. “Not safe?”

“She was eight when she was found.” Mom’s tone was flat. “She wasn’t in any shape to have a man examine her, let alone someone as overbearing as Jameson.”

Catalina’s arms tightened under her chest.

“We worked with what we had,” Mom continued. “Jonathon and Abigail agreed—no male doctors, no outside specialists. Just me.”

There was a quick knock before a bright-faced man in a white coat poked his head through the door. I frowned—perhaps it was good that Bianca had run away. The last thing she needed was to be bombarded with more family members.

“Do you need me?” Alex asked cautiously, his bubbly personality uncharacteristically subdued.

I opened my mouth, but Mom responded first. “No. She’s already gone. You may leave.”

He hesitated, looking between us, before he retreated and closed the door behind him.

“They know?” I asked.

“Apparently,” Mom sighed. “But I don’t know if the Stephens gave him clearance yet. The fae have a certain way of doingthings. Regardless, while they sort themselves out, we need to focus on Bianca. She needs an exam. We’re not going to be able to wait for her consent.”

Catalina’s expression darkened. “What do you mean?”

“It’s been too long already,” Mom said, looking at the door, and a sense of dread pooled in my stomach. “We can’t put this off anymore. I have to call Jameson.”