Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 171450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 857(@200wpm)___ 686(@250wpm)___ 572(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 857(@200wpm)___ 686(@250wpm)___ 572(@300wpm)
“But she’s here, with you.”
“For now.”
“That woman?” Vale asked in surprise. “She would never willingly leave your side. She’s as strong as they come.”
“She can’t resist the bond, Vale,” Graves bit out. “No one can.”
“You’re not giving her enough credit. The fact that she’s even made it this far says that you’re wrong.”
“I can read her. I know.”
“Then train her up some more. You think that she isn’t strong enough? She came into the market to help you and carried a dying man through it. She’s tough as nails.”
“I know that,” he said gruffly.
“Then what is it?”
“I got the shit beat out of me by Amberdash’s people. I read her and Lorcan. We got into a huge argument, and I kicked her out. Then George…” He gestured to the table.
“Brother,” Vale said, touching his hand.
Graves looked up at him in surprise. As if he had not heard that word except in disdain for many, many years.
“I know I am not one to give advice, but may I give some anyway?”
Graves looked wary. “What advice?”
“If you keep pushing that woman away, she’ll leave. You understand? Forever.” Vale’s voice cracked at the last word. His own past opened up for him. “Victoria left me forever. She did not come back. Is that what you want? To be here? Like me?”
“I need to break the bond,” Graves said in response.
“You know how to do that.”
Graves jerked his head away from Vale.
“You’re stronger than you were. You can break it without hurting her.”
He reared back. “I’m not strong enough to do that. I’d never do that to her.”
“Even if she asked?”
“No. I don’t trust that I could stop,” Graves told him darkly.
“Graves, you are the strongest warlock…”
“Don’t even suggest it,” he snarled.
Vale sank backward. “If you say this cannot be done, then it cannot. Is there another way?”
Graves was silent a long moment, his eyes far, far away. Vale recognized that look. He’d found something and had latched onto it.
“You heard about the convocation on Samhain?”
“Everyone’s heard about it.” Vale wrinkled his nose. “Don’t ask me to leave when the spirits are at their zenith.”
Graves waved him off. “I have an idea about how to break the bond.”
“Care to explain what you’re planning?”
“Amberdash has the stone, and I’m going to steal it back and break this wretched curse.”
Vale smiled. There he was.
If only Vale had had the gall that Graves mustered in everything he did. He might still have his lost Victoria. Or at least moved on from her ghost. Alas, he may never do such a thing.
Part V
Fae Killer
Chapter Forty-One
Edgar drove them all home. George argued about it from the passenger seat. Whatever Vale had done made him miraculously better.
Better than Kierse was feeling at least.
Her magic was low, not drained. Her absorption was up and in place as she sat next to Graves in the back of the limo, both of them facing forward and not touching.
Her stomach was in knots. The mission had been one thing, but going back to the brownstone together was something else entirely. They’d put off talking about what had happened. She hadn’t wanted to be the one to come to him when he had been the one to kick her out.
Still, Edgar pulled into the long underground drive and hurried around to help George. Graves opened the door and stepped out. He leaned down into the car and asked, “Are you coming?”
She slid out the other side and glanced back up the tunnel. “Well, George looks like he’s doing fine. So…” She pointed backward and took a step into the gloam.
“Wait.” He shut the door, coming around the other side. “Stay.”
She glanced away. “I don’t…I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
She wanted to say, “Yes.” She wanted to say, “Please.” She wanted to say, “Anytime, anything for you.” She wanted it all. But the truth was that it wasn’t what he would have wanted if they hadn’t just spent a night together in the market.
“I’m going to go stay with Gen again.”
“Please,” he said, holding out his hand.
She crossed her arms over her chest. All the flirting, all the familiar feelings of working together really worked against her. She didn’t want him to get hurt in the market, and George may have died without her portal. It didn’t mean that everything was all right. Everything was where it should be.
“Graves, you made your point perfectly clear when you told me to leave. I don’t think it makes sense for me to walk inside that house.”
“I want you to come in now. I want us to talk.”
“It’s just because of the market…”
He worked his jaw, as if he couldn’t get the words out. “Are you refusing to stay because you are returning to him?”
“No,” she hissed, jerking away. “Of course not!”
“I know the bond strengthens with…” He trailed off at the horror on her face.