Placing my hands on his chest, I took a deep breath in. "Deep breath, Joe. I'm okay. I'll explain everything, but you need to calm down and tell me if you're okay."
"I'm fine. The wolves left as soon as Tristan took you." His eyes focused on something behind me and his whole body tensed.
I glanced behind me to see Brenon and Gia standing a few feet behind us, watching us.
"Friends of yours?" Joe lifted his chin in the direction of Gia and Brenon.
"Yes, they helped me get back here."
"Now that that's over," Aunt Kay said. "Let's have a seat. I don't like being in a home without magic for longer than I have to. I want to hear what is so important that my own niece brought a Fae into my home."
Joe grabbed my arm and pulled me into him. "Fae? The scary looking dude with the scars?"
I raised an eyebrow at Joe. "Scary looking?"
Joe's cheeks flushed. "Whatever, all I know is that you said they were the bad guys and you've brought them here?"
"She better have a damn good explanation for it," Maggie said, baseball bat over her shoulder.
"I do, I just need all of you to give me a chance, okay?" I looked around the room at the people gathered. Aunt Kay, Adam, Maggie, and Joe looked at me like I was crazy.
Gia had already settled into the paisley love seat, and Brenon stood in front of the door as if he was ready to make a quick exit.
"Just sit down and hear me out." I motioned to the seating.
Maggie let out an overdramatic sigh and landed heavily on the couch. Aunt Kay, Joe, and Adam squeezed in next to her as if they were afraid to sit too close to Gia or Brenon.
I took the empty paisley chair my aunt had sat on the night I arrived, and Brenon moved away from the door, standing right behind the chair as if guarding me.
"I had hoped the rumors were wrong about the two of you," Aunt Kay said.
Heat filled my face, and I was sure my cheeks were red. Without looking behind me to gage Brenon's reaction, I narrowed my eyes at my Aunt. "There's nothing going on between us other than the fact that we aren't going to let past histories get in the way of getting rid of all of the Fae."
My aunt straightened and scooted to the edge of the couch. "What do you mean?"
"You've been so concerned about maintaining a hatred of all the Fae, you haven't stopped to think about what you could do to help them. They're stuck here, you know. They don't want to be here just as much as you don't want them here." I paused, noting the uncomfortable shifting of the people seated on the couch.
"She's right." Brenon was next to the arm of the chair now, leaning against it so that his hips were nearly touching my arm. The closeness felt too intimate in this setting, and I pulled my arm away, twisting to give him more room.
If he noticed, he didn't react. "There might be a way for the Fae to return home, leaving your realm free of our magic."
"How?" Aunt Kay asked.
"First," I said. "We'll have to defeat Terra. It won't do anyone any good to have her gaining more power when the gates open. Then, I can open the gates and the members of the Circus and all the other creatures that came to our realm can return home."
Chapter 13
"Why would we risk our lives to help you destroy Terra?" Adam asked. "Why would we get involved in this anyway? I mean, most of the Fae don't even bother us."
"Terra's gaining power," Brenon said. "She's been doing it slowly over the last few decades. We invented the blue pills to mask our magic so she can't hunt down those she can steal magic from, but she's enlisted the help of the human police to eliminate the blue pills."
"Because they do bad things to humans," Joe said.
"And Sayges," Adam added.
I winced. The blue pills had been a great source of pain for me. I probably wanted them gone more than anyone in this room, but I would never wish Terra's wrath on anyone, and I didn't want her to steal more magic and gain more power.
"That's true," Brenon said. "It wasn't our intention for humans to ever access them. But Terra started circulating them in the club scene. Once they were out on their own, she started working with humans to get rid of them, which means that our kind who are in hiding can't take the pills. When Terra finds them, she takes their magic."
"How can someone take another's magic?" Maggie asked, her face drained of color.
"It's Sayge magic," Aunt Kay said. "It's a difficult spell, but it can be done."
The room was quiet for a moment as the weight of her words sunk in.
"A Sayge is helping her?" Maggie asked.
"I'm afraid so. And if that's the case, we have no choice. We'll convene the council first thing in the morning." She stood. "Adam, send the message."
Aunt Kay took a few steps toward me and paused in front of Brenon. "Ringmaster, you'll have our support once I convince the elders. Ara, Gia come with me. We should start looking for the spell to open that gate."
I covered a yawn and stood, ready to follow my aunt anywhere that would help us solve this problem.
Aunt Kay paused in front of the staircase. "Ringmaster, I suppose you might as well come with us. This whole thing is your fault, anyway. Might as well let you help fix it."
"I'll make coffee," Maggie said, patting my shoulder on her way past me to the kitchen. "Come help, Joe."
"Thank you," I called after her.
Joe paused in front of me, grabbing hold of my hand and squeezing it. "I'm glad you're okay, but I have to say, I'm looking forward to boring in my office when this is over."
I wanted to tell Joe to leave, to go back where it was safe, but I knew he wouldn't listen even if I tried. Instead, I smiled at him. "Thanks for your help, Joe."
"I'll bring you up a cup of coffee when it's ready." He glanced at Brenon, then back at me. "I know exactly how you like it." He let go of my hand and followed Maggie into the kitchen.
Aunt Kay and Gia were already up the stairs, leaving Brenon and me alone in the room. He stared at me, one eyebrow raised, a mocking smile on his face.
"What?" I asked.
"Exactly how is it that you like your coffee?"
"Stop," I said. "Don't make fun of Joe. This is a lot for him to take in."
"You're right," Brenon said, the half-smile still on his lips. "Finding out that the woman he loves gave her heart to another is a lot to take in."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "We're just friends. And what makes you think I gave my heart to anyone?"
He shrugged, then took a few steps toward the stairs, pausing to turn to me. "I'm not saying I'll get to keep it. I'm just saying you gave it away. He can see it, too."
"Hang on a minute," I grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the living room, where we were free from the view of the kitchen. "What happened between us, can't happen again. You know that."