Page 43 of Selkie AU: Beyond the Storm

I exhaled in relief as I caught sight of Milo at another window. It was open slightly, and after another couple of steps I saw Miki on the other side of it, smiling at him. He’d already found her.

Slowly, they opened the window wider. It creaked, and I made my way back to where I could keep eyes on Panak while Milo could hopefully get Miki and her child out.

Even if he managed to, it probably wouldn’t be long until Panak realized, and after our interaction at the market, I was betting it wouldn’t take long for him to figure out where she’d gone.

Maybe we could go to my boat instead, get her a town over. We could find somewhere for her to stay until we managed to secure the selkie coats and take her home.

I peered through the slight gap in the curtains again.

Panak wasn’t there.

Shit.

Caring less about being silent now, I raced back to Milo, only to find he wasn’t there either.

The window was wide open, with light spilling from inside the house over the snow.

I rushed toward it, only to come to a sudden stop as dark brown eyes spotted me.

Panak and I stared at each other for a long moment in silence.

Then he sighed. “Come inside, Rowan. Through the front door, preferably.”

21

Rowan

The air was tense and heavy as I stepped into the house. Panak had already made his way back into the living room and was eyeing me with caution.

“Where’s Milo?”

Panak stared for a long moment before he spoke without answering my question. “You won’t take her from me.”

“Where is Milo, Panak?”

His jaw clenched.

A slipper flew from an open doorway, smacking Panak on the side of the head. He flinched, but didn’t seem otherwise bothered by it, nor by the tiny woman who followed it.

I exhaled in relief as Milo followed her, looking confused, before he made his way over to me. I threaded my fingers through his the moment they were in reach, and decided right now that I wasn’t letting him leave my side again.

Miki stomped over to her husband, gripping his face in her hands and forcing him to break the death stare he held with me to look at her instead. She shook her head at him. Panak sighed.

“Take a seat,” he grumbled before returning to the kitchen.

I was so confused, but as Miki turned to smile at Milo, and then offered a slightly more cautious smile at me, I let Milo pull me to the table.

“Miki doesn’t need to be rescued from Panak,” Milo told me, and Miki nodded.

“But you told me your goddess—”

“I got it wrong,” he interrupted, pouting as he looked away from me.

I squeezed his hand a little tighter. I still had no idea what was going on, but if we were wrong about this, then that was probably a good thing. Though it did raise some more questions.

“Where’s the baby?” I asked.

Miki closed her eyes and tilted her head, pretending to sleep for a moment.