Merrick's POV
"The child you're looking for," she continued. "Is mine."
Agnes moved beside me.
I put my hand on her arm.
"My lady," I said, trying to maintain the peace and calm. "We are not here to cause difficulty. We are simply here to confirm. It's entirely possible the child you have is not the one we are looking for - there were multiple children moved through the same trader during that period." I held her gaze. "If you would allow us to see the child, we can confirm whether there's any connection and proceed from there."
The Luna looked at me.
Then at Agnes.
Something moved through her expression when she looked at Agnes.
"I know why you're here," she said to Agnes directly. "And I understand it." Her voice was not cruel. "But he is mine. He has been mine for months now. He knows my face. He reaches for me when he's frightened." She looked back at me. "I will not give him up."
"I understand…" I started.
"Bring him," Agnes said.
Not loud. Not aggressive. Just firm.
