I caught up with him.
“Shit,” Tristan and I both said at the same time. He plopped back into the sand next to me.
“Agreed,” Bree said.
We all sat in silence for a long moment.
“But if we get the stone, I can get pregnant, right?” I asked.
“Well,” Bree said, hesitantly. “Its fertility works specifically for Tristan, so he couldn’t populate the world with offspring before you were even born. It doesn’t guarantee your fertility. However, with everything the Angels have planned for you and the Amadis, I am sure they have included another Amadis daughter in those plans. But right now, your chances are zero, at least with Tristan. You must retrieve the stone.”
“Yes, we must. And sooner rather than later. I really don’t want to fight the council again about staying with you, Tristan. I won’t let them force me to Owen.”
Bree stood up. “I must return to Lilith now. Just remember it may be even more important than another Amadis daughter. Considering it’s a connection between the two of you, if the Angels added anything to the stone, it probably serves as some sort of protection of one or both of you. As in your lives or your souls.”
Tristan and I exchanged a glance, and we looked back up at Bree, but she was gone. I sighed and leaned my head against Tristan’s shoulder.
“Ms. Alexis,” Ophelia’s voice called in my mind. Now that my ability had been made public, I’d have to get used to people jumping into my head. The good news, though: they never heard my thoughts unless I wanted them to. Well, except when Tristan made me lose my mind completely. One reason we wouldn’t be staying on the island long.
Yes? I answered.
“Mail for you. Ms. Sophia said to deliver it straight to you.”
With tiny pops, three envelopes appeared in the air in front of me and dropped into my lap.
Thank you. Can you please send Dorian out?
“Of course.” She gave a mental curtsy and vanished from my mind.
My stomach took a nervous dip as I studied the envelopes. Who could possibly be mailing me anything? Any bills would be sent to Tristan’s alias at our Florida address, and dead authors no longer received fan mail. Anyone who knew I was alive was pretty much right on this island, except Blossom. Only my name and the embossed Amadis seal marked the envelopes—not postmarks or anything else. I reluctantly opened the first one and breathed a sigh of relief.
Princess,
I wanted you to know I made it home. Your bush is all right, but I think I’ll be staying here for a while. I hope you realize I had nothing to do with any of the set-up. But I think my sheila did. If you see the were-bitch, send her my way. I could always use a snack.
I shook my head, a small smile on my lips. Jax was home safely, which was good. And he hadn’t played an intentional role in Kali’s scheme, another relief because I didn’t want to hate him. But Kali brought him into it and used him. That pissed me off.
The next envelope contained a second one within it addressed to me in Florida, with a Sanibel return address but no name, and a stamp but no postmark. As if it’d been intercepted somewhere between the sender’s mailbox and the post office. Strange. With a tingle down my spine, I opened it.
Dear Alexis,
I need your help. I know everything about you. You are the famous author A.K. Emerson. You are also Alexis Ames, even though you gave my mom a different name when she helped you find your house on Sanibel. Your men messed with her memories, but not with mine. I know you from a long time ago, too, and you don’t look any older. You look exactly like you did nine years ago when you punched my asshole dad in the face. I was only eight then, but I remember that day clearly. Your men were there, too, and they also look exactly the same now.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to the media or anything. I’m not blackmailing you. I’m writing because I really do need your help. I have an older sister Sonya who was at a friend’s house the day you hit our dad. But you might remember her, because she attended almost every single one of your signings. She loved your books. I do, too, but Sonya was over the top with them and with you. She always said