Page 75 of From the Edge

She looked up at him. “Can you do that?”

He smiled. “We have some hunters that have gone into private investigations, and they are already here. They can find her.”

“Now?”

He hugged her. “Now. Let’s go.”

Vasoric said, “Do you want me to take her?”

“No. I’ve got this. Both of the investigators are mated.”

There was a laugh from her grandfather, and she was walked to the front of the property where the smokers were drawing a crowd, but it seemed that folks were afraid to disturb them.

Ren called over two of the dark elves and explained the situation. They looked at her kindly and said, “Everything you know about her.”

“She’s five eight, pearly pale skin, black hair, rainbow eyes, and if she needs to get somewhere fast, big butterfly wings.”

That surprised them.

One of them asked, “When did you see her last?”

Rowan looked around and said, “It was three years ago. Right after Mell was cursed. She helped me get Mell set up, ran the wiring in the cavern, made sure the Wi-Fi worked, and then she hugged me and said she would be in touch. She never called, and then I got busy.”

The two men talked, focused, and lifted their heads. As one, they turned toward the trees. “She’s there.”

Rowan stepped away from Ren and ran toward the woods. “Hope? Are you there?”

“There is no Hope in these trees,” a familiar voice rang out.

“Hope? Where are you?”

“I am not coming out.”

Rowan used the voice to triangulate the location, and to her shock, there was a nest up in the trees. “Hope. Please. Come down.”

“No.”

“Why not, dumbass?”

There was a snort. “I lost my clothing two years ago.”

“Are you invisible?”

“Not directly. I can be visible if I want. I just don’t want to be naked with a bunch of strangers staring at me.” She paused and mumbled, “My wings are stuck out.”

“Oh, oh no.”

“Yup.”

She looked back toward the house. “I am going to get you some clothing and tear it up the back. Is that okay?”

“Bring me a sheet that you never want to see again.”

Ren said, “We can do better than that. One of the ladies here makes custom dresses.”

“Out of thin air?” Rowan blinked.

“We can start with a sheet.” A woman solidified out of fog. “Hello. My name is Pandora. What kind of clothing do you like?”