CHAPTER 1
Cole held Lexi in his arms as he studied thecrone and his brother while they spoke. He couldn’t hear what theywere saying, but judging by the way their eyes continuously flickedto Lexi and him,theywere the topic of conversation.
Of course, he couldn’t expect anything lessafter what just transpired with Lexi and the harrow stone, Brokk’sface had drained of color and Kaylia looked extremely uneasy, whichmeant that whatever they were discussing wasn’t good.
He imagined they were discussing that ShadowReaver bullshit the crones were muttering about while he was intheir realm, but he didn’t care. He’d done what was necessary tosave Lexi’s life, and even if it meant drawingeveryshadowinallthe realms to him, he would do it again.
When Lexi shuddered, he squeezed her tighteras he tried not to recall what it was like to stare at her unmovingbody while she lay on the floor. That stone had nearly killedher.
He glanced uneasily at the red stone, stilllying on the ground only a few feet away. If he could have reachedit without disrupting Lexi too much, he would have kicked the thingclear across the room.
Instead, he glowered at it before shiftinghis attention back to Brokk and the crone. His gaze locked withKaylia’s, and for the first time, true fear shone in her pewtergray eyes. She had a right to be afraid; she had to know hewouldn’t let her put Lexi’s life in danger.
Which meant she most likely wouldn’t leavehere alive.
“What should I do with you?” he asked.
Kaylia’s shoulders went back as her elegant,blonde eyebrows rose. “What do you mean,dowith me?”
Lexi stirred in his arms and lifted her head.She was still far too pale but alive and moving, and that was whatmattered.
“Yes,” Cole said. “Dowith you.”
“You won’t bedoinganything with me.I’m free to do as I please.”
When Lexi woke, he’d released the shadowsthat came to him, but the ones inside him stirred at Kaylia’s tone.Recalling how hostile they’d been, he tamped the shadows downagain. Hewouldkeep them away from Lexi.
“No, you won’t,” he replied. “Not with whatyou know about her. I can’t let you walk free with thatknowledge.”
“Cole,” Lexi whispered.
He kissed her forehead before adjusting hishold on her. He made sure she was comfortable against the wallbefore releasing her and rising. Kaylia braced her feet apart asshe faced off against him.
“It doesn’t matterwhatyou are,”Kaylia said, “or what you can do. If you kill me, the crones willcome for you. They’ll hunt you down—”
“And what?” Cole demanded. “Whatwillthey do? I’ll burn themalldown to keep her safe, andanyone else who gets in myfuckingway.”
Kaylia gulped, but she stubbornly raised herchin. “Cole—”
Kaylia cut off whatever Lexi was about tosay.
“You’re not indestructible, and neither isshe!”
Despite his resolve to keep the shadowssuppressed, they shifted and stirred inside him. Their powerswelled into his fingertips as they sought release. They ached tobreak free and destroy, but he fisted his hands against theimpulse.
No matter what, he didn’t want to makeenemies of the crones. They would be far better allies thanenemies. But he would unleash hell on them if it becamenecessary.
“Are you threatening her?” Cole’s voicestarted taking on the hint of distortion it held while he was inthe crone realm.
CHAPTER 2
“Whoa! Slow down here,” Brokk said as hestepped between them and held up his hands.
“Yes,” Del said as he moved away from thefireplace and closer to Brokk.
Orin remained standing with his arm restingon the mantle. Though an amused smile curved his lips, his posturesaid he wasn’t as relaxed as he was pretending to be.
Behind him, Lexi placed her hand against thewall and rose. “What is going on? What exactly happened with thestone, withme, and the curse? How am I still alive?”
