“It won’t be a hardship,” she assured him. As he continued to frown, she stroked his hair with a smile. Gentle though he might be with her, he did have his share of masculine pride. She promised, “I’ll start searching the day I return. With any luck, I’ll find something suitable very soon.”

Dismissing the subject of finances, his face creased with an answering smile, and he kissed her forehead. “I can arrange things so that I get at least a couple of days together, every month. We can plan for that. It will be difficult to wait, but as long as I know that I will be able to see you, I can manage.”

The sweetness returned, spreading through her limbs. It felt remarkably like joy. She breathed, “Think of it – we’ll see each other every month. That sounds almost too good to be true.”

“Well, it’s far from perfect, and realistically, my life as a sentinel can get unpredictable. There will probably be times when I can’t make it, and I won’t be able to notify you. If I sent you a letter or a note, it would take weeks to reach you.” His mouth twisted wryly.

“I don’t care.” She laughed under her breath. “That’s not true. I do care, but I understand, I promise. No doubt sometimes I’m going to feel horribly disappointed when you don’t show up as planned. But right now, I’m just so happy I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“I know how you feel. I feel the same way, and believe me, I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen —” He broke off abruptly. As he looked around, his expression changed.

Suddenly he appeared so different, his features hard and edged, and completely unlike the tender man who had smiled down at her a moment ago. This time, when her heart started to pound, it wasn’t in delight but in alarm.

“What is it?” She looked around the clearing as well.

As they had talked, the light had grown much brighter, and dawn had arrived in earnest. The rose-gold color caught on the dark bare branches of the trees surrounding them.

“I don’t know. I could have sworn something brushed past us, but I don’t scent any other creature. I don’t hear anything either.” Releasing her, he prowled around the edge of the clearing, sharp-eyed and cat-footed. “Do you sense anything?”

Frowning, she pivoted in a circle, searching the scene as he had.

Everything appeared as it should. Their things lay scattered where they had left them – her cloak, his coat that they had used for a bed, and both their swords lay beside the log they had used as a seat. She cast her awareness into the woods, but the only creatures she sensed were small, furry animals, tucked deep into winter nests.

Just when she had convinced herself they were alone, something invisible brushed past her cheek, carrying with it a sense of ill will.

A figure solidified in front of her. It took on the appearance of a handsome man, with a face like an angel, with golden hair and eyes that shone like sparkling diamonds, but the appearance was a lie. He was no physical man, but a Djinn.

Fear crawled through her body. Normally, when the Djinn appeared, they did so in a whirl of Power like a tornado. This Djinn had masked his Power to creep up on them like a predator stalking its prey.

Movement blurred at the corner of her vision as, with a gigantic spring, Graydon leaped to her side.

“What an interesting scenario I have stumbled upon,” said the Djinn. “One of the Wyr sentinels having a tender moment with an Elven lady who is not his.” He gave them both a glittering, hard smile that vanished in the next moment. “If I am not mistaken, it is the very same sentinel and lady who visited my establishment late last night. An establishment, I might add, that I had grown quite fond of, and that, as of this morning, is no longer in existence. Coincidence? I do wonder.”

“You’re Malphas,” Graydon growled. He stood so close to her, their shoulders touched, and his energy bristled with protectiveness and aggression.

“Indeed, I am,” said Malphas. “I believe I’m in possession of something you want.”

She bit out, “Where is my son?”

The look he gave them was so hostile and full of rage, Bel controlled an entirely useless impulse to lunge for her sword. Swords were useless in a battle against the Djinn. “He is up at the manor, but then you already knew that, or you wouldn’t be here. He’s had a rough night, and he’s sleeping it off.”

Rage washed over her, obliterating the fear. As she lunged forward, Graydon’s arm snaked around her waist, and he held her back. She cried, “What did you do to him?”

“You’ll have to come see for yourself,” said Malphas. “No doubt you can find your own way up the hill to the manor. Don’t expect breakfast, and be prepared to beg when you arrive.”

The Djinn vanished.

She whirled to face Graydon. “What was he talking about? Malfeasance no longer exists?”

He had paled until he looked bone white. “Get your things. Hurry.”

She didn’t need any further urging and leaped for her sword and cloak, while beside her, Graydon did the same. Shrugging into his coat and sword harness, he shapeshifted. She leaped onto his back.

Only when he had lunged into the air did he speak. They were selling children.

What? She felt so crazed with worry, what he said didn’t make any sense.

At Malfeasance, he said. They were selling children.

It took a moment longer for his words to sink in. When they did, she rocked as if he had physically struck her. Oh GODS.

I didn’t want you to know. His telepathic voice sounded more bestial than human. I’m from the New York demesne. If I had destroyed any establishment here, it could have been interpreted as an act of war, yet I couldn’t stand aside and do nothing. I paid for the children before we left. When I went back to the Gardens, I approached Weston and told him – not about you. Weston said he would rescue the children and shut down the business. That was when I left.