had nothing to do with her being a leanansidhe but with normal social interaction. “He’s under pressure.”
Laura thought about Terryn’s unusual abruptness and anger at her debriefing. “I noticed. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Cress stared. “You know Terryn. He deals with things in his own way.”
The answer didn’t surprise her. Terryn held his emotions close—which was why his obvious level of annoyance at Sinclair surprised her. Cress was the same way, which ironically was what probably drew her and Terryn together. They were friends, but Laura never socialized with them outside the office except for an occasional dinner at their apartment. The dinners tended to be quiet and, frankly, dull. The three of them came together through work, and while they depended on each other more than most colleagues, they all maintained a personal distance that prevented a more intimate friendship
Cress compressed her lips. “Have you ever met Draigen?” she asked.
Laura shook her head. “We’ve never crossed paths.”
Cress toyed with her salad. “She’s rather . . . conservative.”
“Does she know about . . .” Laura was going to say “you” but realized it would be a little tacky. “. . . your relationship?”
Cress didn’t look up. “So Terryn tells me.”
The Inverni were a proud people and a many-times-defeated one. They tended to be suspicious of outsiders, and Cress was about as outside as a fey could get. “Are you worried about something, Cress?”
She pulled her hair back and held it there as she decided what to say. “I’m worried she’ll kill me.”
Laura struggled for something to say. “That’s ridiculous, Cress. Draigen macCullen is not going to kill you. You’re not only a leanansidhe . You’re a person. We know that. Everyone knows that.”
“Not everyone.”
Laura conceded that—to herself. Cress was right. It was hard to believe that a person whose nature demanded she murder others to survive was anything more than a monster. After all these years, Laura had a hard time putting the thought out of her head. But Cress had moved beyond her nature, figured out a way to control it and become a real person. “Have you talked to Terryn about this?”
She shook her head. “He’s worried enough about Draigen’s visit. I don’t want to add to his stress.”
Laura let out an uncomfortable laugh. Cress wasn’t joking, though. “Terryn wouldn’t let anything happen to you, Cress.”
Cress looked away. “He can’t be with me all the time.”
As regent, Draigen ruled the macCullen clan—and, by virtue of that, all the Inverni. The idea that she might put Cress in danger wasn’t far-fetched. Fairies could be vindictive. “Do you seriously think Draigen macCullen is going to kill you?”
She stared. And stared. “No. I think she may want to, but she won’t.”
Laura pointed at her. “Then you need to stop thinking about it. If you want the rest of the world to believe you’re not a danger, you need to stop thinking everyone believes it. You need to live your life, Cress.”
She drew her words out with resignation. “You’re right. Old habits die hard.”
Laura sipped of her iced tea while she considered what further to say. “If you want my advice, you and Terryn both need some time to yourselves and to stop worrying about what everyone else is going to do—including Draigen. I might not know her from a hole in the wall, but Terryn asked her to lead the Inverni because he knew she could handle it. And you have to remember this isn’t the sixth century. She’s not some warrior queen out to kill a ghostly demon.”
Cress bunched her shoulders as she made a decision. “I think Terryn and I need to have a long talk.”
Laura grinned. “Good. When you do, tell him if he doesn’t want my fragile ego shattered, he needs to knock off the cranky.”
Finally, Cress smiled an honest smile. “I’ve been trying to do that for years.”
CHAPTER 12
AS SHE
Laura thought about Terryn’s unusual abruptness and anger at her debriefing. “I noticed. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Cress stared. “You know Terryn. He deals with things in his own way.”
The answer didn’t surprise her. Terryn held his emotions close—which was why his obvious level of annoyance at Sinclair surprised her. Cress was the same way, which ironically was what probably drew her and Terryn together. They were friends, but Laura never socialized with them outside the office except for an occasional dinner at their apartment. The dinners tended to be quiet and, frankly, dull. The three of them came together through work, and while they depended on each other more than most colleagues, they all maintained a personal distance that prevented a more intimate friendship
Cress compressed her lips. “Have you ever met Draigen?” she asked.
Laura shook her head. “We’ve never crossed paths.”
Cress toyed with her salad. “She’s rather . . . conservative.”
“Does she know about . . .” Laura was going to say “you” but realized it would be a little tacky. “. . . your relationship?”
Cress didn’t look up. “So Terryn tells me.”
The Inverni were a proud people and a many-times-defeated one. They tended to be suspicious of outsiders, and Cress was about as outside as a fey could get. “Are you worried about something, Cress?”
She pulled her hair back and held it there as she decided what to say. “I’m worried she’ll kill me.”
Laura struggled for something to say. “That’s ridiculous, Cress. Draigen macCullen is not going to kill you. You’re not only a leanansidhe . You’re a person. We know that. Everyone knows that.”
“Not everyone.”
Laura conceded that—to herself. Cress was right. It was hard to believe that a person whose nature demanded she murder others to survive was anything more than a monster. After all these years, Laura had a hard time putting the thought out of her head. But Cress had moved beyond her nature, figured out a way to control it and become a real person. “Have you talked to Terryn about this?”
She shook her head. “He’s worried enough about Draigen’s visit. I don’t want to add to his stress.”
Laura let out an uncomfortable laugh. Cress wasn’t joking, though. “Terryn wouldn’t let anything happen to you, Cress.”
Cress looked away. “He can’t be with me all the time.”
As regent, Draigen ruled the macCullen clan—and, by virtue of that, all the Inverni. The idea that she might put Cress in danger wasn’t far-fetched. Fairies could be vindictive. “Do you seriously think Draigen macCullen is going to kill you?”
She stared. And stared. “No. I think she may want to, but she won’t.”
Laura pointed at her. “Then you need to stop thinking about it. If you want the rest of the world to believe you’re not a danger, you need to stop thinking everyone believes it. You need to live your life, Cress.”
She drew her words out with resignation. “You’re right. Old habits die hard.”
Laura sipped of her iced tea while she considered what further to say. “If you want my advice, you and Terryn both need some time to yourselves and to stop worrying about what everyone else is going to do—including Draigen. I might not know her from a hole in the wall, but Terryn asked her to lead the Inverni because he knew she could handle it. And you have to remember this isn’t the sixth century. She’s not some warrior queen out to kill a ghostly demon.”
Cress bunched her shoulders as she made a decision. “I think Terryn and I need to have a long talk.”
Laura grinned. “Good. When you do, tell him if he doesn’t want my fragile ego shattered, he needs to knock off the cranky.”
Finally, Cress smiled an honest smile. “I’ve been trying to do that for years.”
CHAPTER 12
AS SHE
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