Blacktail Deer Plateau Your journey has only begun

Her admission made him blink. Of course, his first impulse was not to believe her. Judging by her reaction alone, he definitely believed she saw something. Peregrine thought she must have hallucinations. Perhaps she was mentally unwell. His brow furrowed as he regarded his teary niece.

He'd been so preoccupied in his own skepticism that he hadn't initially registered her mention of his mother and brother. When he mentally backpedaled, his lips parted. His hackles prickled at the mention of Tyrannus. This was taking schizophrenia—or whatever afflicted Pied—to a different level. Peregrine could not bring himself to just accept Pied's claims.

He didn't want to refute her in such a distressed state. Instead, Peregrine asked, "What do you see, right now?" and looked at her downturned, tear-streaked face with burning curiosity and concern.