“And I don’t regret one second.”
“So you all meet your soul mates? I’m not sure the best romance author could have conjured this,” Roxy said in disbelief.
“I’m not sure the best horror writer could either,” Mel interjected.
Roxy nodded, then hid a yawn behind her hand. “Excuse me.”
Ali stood. “I’m going to show you somewhere to shower and rest. We can all talk more later.”
Roxy’s lips quirked at the almost order. “I have to call the police. I’m reported as missing.” Ali shot a concerned look at Lance but said they would sort everything out. Kay was surprised when Roxy agreed as placating her didn’t usually work, but he was glad they had a minute to think what to do. Kay reached out for another hug before they both left the room and went upstairs.
Mel went to the open kitchen door, closing it firmly, then turned. “I’m concerned.”
Kay opened his mouth to object, maybe defend, but then he was confused as well.
“I’m more worried over the incident with the driver. Are you a hundred percent certain of what you saw?” Gawain asked.
“I wish I wasn’t, but yes I know what I saw.”
“What about the tattoo?” Tom asked.
Kay replayed the mental image of the driver. “No, but he had on a shirt and tie. It might have been lower.”
“I think we’re lucky she’s safe coming that close to an Ursus,” Lucan said.
Kay breathed out a long, relieved breath. “I also wondered if her being a Tresor was why we were drawn together in the first place.”
“You are always drawn to beautiful things, Magpie,” Lucan teased gently.
“I don’t mean like that.” Kay flushed. “Or maybe originally, but Roxy reminds me of my sister, and our relationship has always been platonic.”
“But she isn’t your Tresor,” Lance pointed out.
“No.” Kay shook his head. “I’ve never felt she was, but when have we ever met another’s Tresor without the knight being there?”
“We haven’t as far as we know.”
“I saw Rohan’s, but she was a good distance away and he was present, so if I did feel anything, I would just put it down to him,” Lucan said.
“What do you think?” Lance looked at Mel.
“I felt her presence as soon as she entered the house,” Mel admitted, and Kay remembered him reaching for his pendant while they had still been upstairs. “But I didn’t feel—don’t feel—any threat exactly. It was just I knew a stranger was here.”
“I only stopped fighting when I heard Ali call out,” Lance admitted. “The first I knew she wasn’t alone was when I saw Roxy. I didn’t sense her, I don’t think.”
“Me either,” Gawain said, and Tom and Lucan shook their heads.
“So, it may be your ability that means you can sense her,” Lance said.
“But I don’t have a magical ability. I have a photographic memory, but there are many regular humans with just such an ability,” Kay argued. There was something though, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. “We are going to have many problems starting tomorrow.”
Lucan stood and clapped him on the back before heading for the coffee machine. “When do we not have problems?”
“No, I mean with Roxy. It isn’t just because she has a family—a sister in Georgia. She’s actually a very successful model and supposed to be flying to London next week on assignment.”
“Oh my god,” Tom squeaked out. “Inferno.” Lucan’s eyebrows rose, but Tom looked at Mel. “Set your man on fire.”
Mel gaped. “Of course.”
Kay sighed. He knew what they were both talking about. It was a new perfume released for the Christmas market last year. Roxy was one of the models. “She usually does runway-type stuff, but she’s been in magazines like Vogue.”
“That’s going to be a problem,” Lance said. “I wonder if Ali knows?”
“We are in a difficult situation,” Gawain mused. “She absolutely has to be here for her own protection, but we still don’t know what was going on in the tunnel.”
“And the water thing,” Tom added.
Mel glanced at Gawain. “Are all the books fully translated?”
“No,” Gawain said. “To be honest I skipped over the last two and some of the fourth once we got rid of Aalardin. Most of them seemed nonsense, but I really should go back and look.”
“And we need to make sure you have the time to do that,” Lance decreed and stood up. There was a pause, and Kay knew what Gawain wanted. Gawain would be glad of Charles’s help, but he also knew he wouldn’t ask. Besides, Lance had made him leave, and Kay honestly