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I could tell that Jareth’s death weighed on him, too, but he sent me a heartening smile and patted me fondly on the head before pausing next to Tigger. “How’s my wily boy tonight?” he asked with a hint of pride in his voice.
    The old bloodhound responded, his tail beating the floor like a drum. But as Al moved to the cupboard and it was apparent that no hot dog was forthcoming, he turned three times and settled back into his nap with a loud sigh of pleasure. Apparently, tail-wagging was exhausting business.
    As we watched Al dig through his cupboard, Rafael reached over and, grabbing my wrists, pulled me close into the circle of his arms. It was comforting being there, and I laid my head on his shoulder. I could feel myself relaxing. I could feel him relaxing too as he rested his chin on the top of my head. His arms were strong and gentle, and he seemed just as content to hold me as I was to stay there.
    With a whistle of triumph, Al waved the Protectors over to the kitchen table to give them a demonstration of his gadgetry, and using the opportunity, Rafael pulled me out of the kitchen. Weaving through the piles of cardboard boxes, he guided me into the empty family room to stand near the window.
    “What is it?” I asked in a hushed tone.
    He stood there a moment, reaching out to absently twine a lock of my hair around his finger. His enigmatic eyes thoughtfully considered me.
    “What is it?” I asked again, beginning to fill with anxiety.
    His lashes flickered and trailing an elegant finger down my jawline, he dropped his hand into his pocket and pulled out Jareth’s protection rune.
    Puzzled, I stared at the black symbol etched deep into the white stone. The rune looked like it always had. White. Vibrant.
    I caught my breath then.
    It was still pulsating, and there were no signs of cracks.
    I glanced up in surprise to meet Rafael’s clear gaze.
    “Yes,” he confirmed, seeing the understanding dawn in my eyes. “Jareth’s still alive.”

Chapter Three – Finding Melody

    Relief consumed me, even though I couldn’t believe it.
    “Alive? How?” I gasped. “He quit breathing. I saw it myself.”
    Rafael drew his brows together into a frown. “I don’t really know,” he admitted, grimacing. He gave his head a rueful shake and added, “But isn’t everything with Jareth … unique?”
    I had to grant him that. Though I wasn’t quite sure I’d have chosen the word “unique”. I took a deep breath, overwhelmed by a rollercoaster of emotions and then managed to ask, “Where is he?”
    His handsome face darkened with frustration and concern. “I’ve tried everything I can think of. He’s hidden somewhere. By someone who doesn’t want him to be found.”
    I was willing to bet everything I had on just who that someone was. Melody. But I’d only said the first syllable of her name before Rafael laid a long finger against my lips. With his gray eyes flashing a brief warning, his expression took a decidedly guarded turn as his gaze focused in the direction of the door.
    I turned to see a Fae Protector standing there, touching his cheek in a three-fingered salute.
    “Report,” Rafael ordered in a cool tone.
    The Protector bowed and replied at once, “We cannot find her. The GPS tracker has stopped sending signals.”
    So, she’d neutralized Al’s tracker. I frowned.
    The muscle on Rafael’s jaw tightened. “And before it went silent?” he queried.
    “Nothing,” the Protector responded. “The signal was too erratic.”
    Before Rafael could press further, a cloud of mist suddenly appeared next to the couch and Brock stepped out of it and bowed respectfully in greeting. Turning to the first Fae Protector, he announced, “You may leave.”
    The Protector hesitated but then obliged, though with obvious reluctance.
    When he’d been gone for several seconds, Brock turned to face us. “He can’t be trusted,” he informed us bluntly. “I believe that he told her about Al’s tracker. We were