The female pixie flew at him. The male lunged to hold her back.
"No," Gabriel said. "Let her do as she wishes. At worst, she might kill me, but it's not as if I won't return, in another time, in another form. Which is more than I can say for either of you when the Tylwyth Teg avenge my death."
"You think you're protected, boy?" the female said. "It's true we don't dare harm you. But we haven't harmed anyone. You humans do that all by yourselves, and if you decide to put a gun to your head two days from now, do you think anyone will question it? Do you think anyone will care?"
His shoulders tightened before he could hide the reaction, and her lips curved in a smile.
"They'll care about Gwynn," she said. "But you, Gabriel Walsh? No. There's nobody to care, is there? Nobody to mourn."
He told himself it didn't matter, but that was a lie. A lie for the man he'd been. A lie for the man he'd tried to be.
But he would not go unmourned. Rose would care. And Olivia, as unsteady as their relationship might be right now. Perhaps others, but those two were enough for him to know the pixie's words should be easily sloughed off. One moment of self-doubt and then a sneer for her poor effort.
But as he told himself it wasn't true, his breathing quickened, doubt seeping in. Was he certain about Rose? Perhaps she'd mourn at first but then be relieved, no longer tied to him, no longer forced to pick her way carefully through the minefield of their relationship. Olivia, too. She would miss him at first, but then perhaps feel relief, Matilda finally freed of Gwynn and his endless betrayals. Freed to live her own life.
Gabriel gritted his teeth. It was as if the pixie had reached inside him and found the tender spots beneath his armor, as if she knew exactly where to poke and prod and release the fears of a child. He looked into her eyes and saw them glitter, working whatever magic she possessed.
"I'm fine," he said through those gritted teeth.
"Oh, no, Gwynn, you are not. You've lost your Matilda. Again. Rather tiresome, isn't it? To keep needing her. To keep losing her. To feel lost without her."
"I'm fine."
The female smiled. "You keep telling yourself that, Gwynn."
"I don't need to. I know it. I am fine. Yes, I lost my way, but I'll find it again. I always do. I don't need Olivia. I want her in my life, but that's an entirely different thing."
The pixie's eyes narrowed, and her mate made a noise, like a growl.
"I cannot offer that boon you requested," Gabriel said. "I'm in no position to do so. But I am willing to negotiate. If you leave Illinois, I won't pursue you for the crimes you've committed here."
"Crimes?" the male sneered. "We've toyed with humans. That's what we do. It's what all fae do. If you plan to stop that, Gwynn, then you have a lifetime of disappointment ahead because it's like vowing to clean up the ocean, one grain of sand at a time."
"I'm not concerned with the ocean. I'm concerned with you. Here. Now. Stop killing humans."
"One more," the female said.
"No more."
"Oh, I'm afraid you don't have a say in the matter, Gwynn. One more. And then we will stop. You have our word."
The male reached up and grabbed him by the hair, wrenching so fast that Gabriel didn't have time to react. His head snapped to the side, and the female put her lips to his ear and whispered, "You're lost, Gabriel Walsh. So terribly lost. But you can fix it. You know how to get back on track. How to end this. End it for good." Her voice lowered. "You have one hour."
Gabriel blinked. Then he rubbed his neck and looked about.
"What am I doing here?" he said.
The female smiled. "You know, Gabriel. Tell me what you have to do."
"Fix things. End it."
"Exactly."
He frowned at her. "Exactly what?"
The pixies chortled.
"One hour," the male said. "Best get moving."