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“At RCC, yes.”
“You are fond of that place.”
It was Adam’s turn to narrow his eyes. Did she know he was working with Jack? Did she know about their trip to see the scholar?
How many of the Lost Ones or the wandering ladies they’d seen were elven spies?
“I am,” Adam said.
Her mouth crinkled, not into a frown, but a worried expression.
“I do not know if he is ready for a life around so many others. He is unique.” She held up a hand. “I know what you will say—that everyone there is unique, but North is special.”
Adam smiled.
“I have amused you?”
“I mean no offense, lady. It is sweet, I mean to say; I can see that you love him and want to protect him.”
“Yes. I fear for him, how he would thrive in a larger world. He is still just a boy.”
“You’re not ready to let him go,” Adam said gently.
“Perhaps not, but he enjoyed his time with you.”
“You do know that I’m an adult? I don’t have a lot of experience with children.”
“I know, but you are human, and that is a side of him that I cannot understand. Would you be willing to visit with him?”
“I would,” Adam said.
“You are kinder than I deserve.”
“Probably,” Adam said. Most definitely, he thought. “That always seems to surprise you.”
“That you do not punish my child for my crimes against you?”
“He’s done nothing to hurt me. I can come this afternoon, if you want to bring me to him.”
“And you’re asking nothing of me in return?”
Adam considered it. Immortals liked bargains. They liked deals. He could use this as leverage against her, ask her for information on the elven religion. He could ask her to find out what had been redacted, but she might be the one who’d commanded it. After all, she’d already proven herself capable of weaponizing information when she’d given Wilcox’s coven spells that mortals should never have been casting. Quite a few of them had died in those rituals.
“No,” he said. “I’m doing it for North. You may consider it a gift, freely given.”
“I will send my squire. I believe he knows how to contact you.”
Another less-than-subtle dig.
“It’s always a pleasure to see Dautre.”
A few months ago he would have added, and you, for politeness’s sake. He didn’t feel the need for that, not anymore.
With a nod she vanished in a blast of white light and cold air.
North was a gentle boy. He didn’t deserve his mother, though Adam could understand why she’d done what she had: giving Wilcox’s cult the ritual spells they needed to open the Between, to free the Wolf, who wanted to change the realms forever. He’d promised to equalize things, to create a world where the Lost Ones would be on the same level as the immortals. The problem had been his method of execution. He’d intended to bring the Lost Ones to Alfeimr, to invade and colonize it, to leave the elves with no choice but to face those with less magic and rights than them.
Not all elves were like Silver or Argent. The sea elves, for one, had planned a genocide on the mortal plane, forcing Silver’s hand and proving that even he could kill when backed into a corner. The Court of Swords wasn’t named that because the weapons they carried were pretty.
