Page 26 of Clarity

Just in case.

“What else have you found?” I asked, pulling her attention.

She looked up at me with a smile. The deep wrinkles that had—I felt—aged her prematurely were no longer etched in her face. As I moved closer, I saw the difference in her hands as well, even her stance. She was still a mature woman, butappropriatelyso now.

If I had to guess, Clerie had been gifted the same regression.

“Somany interesting things,” she gushed, gesturing for me to come and look with her. “Things about our past I didn’t know, things about our future—warnings,” she said, her face turning gravely serious. “So that our restoration isn’t squandered.And—” She grabbed my hand, gripping and squeezing. “Family! That sorceress bitch did a good job of erasing the records, but not all of them. She had children, and grandchildren, who aren’t witches. They don’t have other powers, but they are still living.Look.”

I followed the line of her finger to where she was pointing, my gaze landing on a name I immediately recognized.

“Khalida.”

That name was distinctive enough on its own, but when it was followed by her sister’s name,Ancelin,I knew for sure.

“I… actually know them,” I told my mother, shaking my head. “Well, kind of. I know of them. They run this nightclub in Blackwood. I knew they were eonian, but I didn’t know they were…blood.”

“Well, now you do, thanks to this.” She beamed, patting the open pages. “And now you’ve got that handsome consort as well.”

Her mention of Parris brought immediate warmth, and I shook my head as she tipped hers, looking at my neck.

“I coulda sworn I made you promise me you’dneverlet any knucklehead talk you into something like that. But now that I’ve met him… I understand,” she laughed. “Does he know you are awake?”

I nodded. “He does. I was headed to find him, but wanted to see you first. To make sure you?—”

“Hadn’t croaked?”

“Ugh, Mama!” I fussed. “Don’t say it like that!”

“Don’t say it like it is?” she questioned, laughing again.

“Don’t say it so casually, I was really scared!”

“Me too,” she countered. “Mwen pral di li jan mwen vle!”

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, Miss Lady,” I told her, shaking my head. “If you say so.”

“Ido, as a matter of fact. Now go on,” she said, waving me off. “Go find Parris. Certainly you could be bothering him instead of me.”

“Wow,” I gasped, eyes wide as she started to literally push me out of the room. “Is this necessary?!”

“Very,” she said, not stopping until we were at the door, where she stopped pushing to grab my hands, clasping them between hers. “Pitit fi,thank you.”

And then she closed the door in my face.

Well damn.

For a moment, I just stared at the door, thinking about going back in just to annoy her. But… I had other pressing matters to attend.

Things to see.

Vampires to do.

I practically hopped down the stairs, breezing through the shop door to find Roseline at the front counter with our cousin Rhys, Clerie’s son. I spoke to them, then immediately looked around, searching for Parris, who I’d expected to find down here.

To no avail.

“Look at her. Got a man and a neck tat and immediately turned brand new,” Roseline spoke, and I turned to find her and Rhys shaking their heads.