Layla’s lips twitched with humor as she wiped his taste from them, trying to separate her reaction to his kiss from her reaction to the weed. Both had been instantaneous, but while his kiss was powerful, the herb had a more subtle effect, and neither had been unpleasant. She just felt more at ease with everything, a little tingly... and hungry for his mouth. “No,” she assured. “Stupid and goofy aren't in the list.”
“Relaxed?”
She grinned, and it was probably a goofy grin, but it had nothing to do with the cannabis and everything to do with the throb between her thighs. “Sure.”
His dimples deepened as he glanced at her aura. Then he stole one more kiss before summoning her coffee from the table and heating it up. “Good. Lean back while we figure out our next move.” He carefully passed the mug over then looked at Caitrin. “Let's start with the most pressing issue. Agro. He’s tiptoeing around now, but that won’t last forever.”
Caitrin took Morrigan's hand and leaned back in his chair. “No it won’t. We tried to lead him to Lake Tahoe, but judging by the fit he threw on our lawn Saturday night, it doesn’t look like he took the bait.”
“How long do you think we have before he makes his next move?” Quin asked.
Caitrin shrugged. “He’s probably still nursing soldiers back to health and trying to replace those he slaughtered on our lawn. We might get another day or two of peace before he shows up… we might not. He's too volatile to predict.”
Quin closed his eyes and nodded, and Layla studied his features, knowing he was contemplating decisions no one should ever have to face.
“What do you think Agro would do if he saw Layla and me?” he asked, opening his eyes.
An uncomfortable beat of silence passed as everyone traded glances. Then Serafin leaned forward to answer. “He won’t dismiss the situation, but that's the only certainty I can offer.”
“Let's hear the guesses,” Quin insisted.
“The guesses,” Serafin mumbled, resting his chin in his palm. “He’d probably be disappointed at first, but then he’d realize all the ways your union could benefit him. He’ll no doubt want what the two of you have to offer, but it's hard to say which path he’d choose or how he’d go about walking it. He isn't getting any younger, so he may break his own rules and try to force you both into his troops, or he may gamble on longevity and deem your offspring a higher priority. Either way, the results aren't pleasant.”
“What about the rest of the magical world?” Quin asked. “What do you think about them seeing us?”
Everyone shifted as Serafin responded. “There would be negative ramifications, a lot of them, but dealing with them is worth considering since the alternative is quite heartbreaking.”
Layla straightened and looked at her grandfather. “What alternative?”
“A life in hiding, and not just from the Unforgivables – from everyone. And not just for a while – forever. No social life in the magical world, and no public appearances near coven populated areas, which is about every beautiful location in the world. It would all have to end if you choose to keep your status a secret.”
“Even if we conceal our auras?”
Serafin frowned and gave a shrug. “Of course that would help you maintain your anonymity, but every time you step out with hidden auras there's a chance something will have them snapping free, so you'll be taking a risk no matter where you go. Besides, constantly concealing your auras isn't an ideal option. I know you handle it well, but over time it will start to wear on you. Prolonged concealment can bring a magician down to a level that's difficult to recover from.”
Layla sent her untouched coffee to the table and tucked her face into Quin's neck. “And what are the negative ramifications that would accompany an open life?”
“You’ll be under constant scrutiny,” Kemble predicted.
“And treated like objects,” Caitrin added. “If word travels, which it likely will, they'll come from miles away to see if it's true. Oregon will swarm with foreign magicians asking questions about you.”
“If word travels,” Serafin noted, “you could have more than curious eyes headed your way. Every greedy magician in the world will want a piece of you. Agro would be a drop in the cauldron if the world was alerted to your union .”
Layla’s chest felt heavy and tight, pressing on her lungs and making it hard to breathe. “Are there a lot of magicians like Agro?”
“Yes,” Serafin answered. “Agro’s currently the top terror in the states, but there are a few groups based in other countries that are trouble on all accounts. And if there was any truth to Finley’s claims, one of them already has you on their radar.”