“You seem to think I give a fuck what theythink,” Cole retorted.
“Cole, don’t,” Lexi said.
“I’ll take her back,” Orin said.
“Oh yes, let’s have gone through the harrowstone spell so you can go running around in public,” Brokksaid.
Orin scowled at him, but Brokk had apoint.
“I’ll go with her,” Brokk offered.
Kaylia didn’t look overly thrilled by this,but she didn’t have any other options. It was either Brokk orhim. No one else could see anyone in this room; they wereall either believed dead or would start glowing.
Neither option would help keep them off theLord’s radar.
“Fine,” Cole relented. “But if you’re notback in ten minutes—”
“I have to gather some of my things,” Kayliainterrupted. “That will take some time. I’ll need at least half anhour.”
“Fine,” Cole grated through his teeth. “Halfan hour or I’m coming after you.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Kaylia repliedwith a smile.
“What is she supposed to tell the othercrones about the person who touched the harrow stone? They were allthere to hear what happened when we went to get her,” Brokk said.“Are they supposed to be dead or alive?”
“Dead,” Cole stated. “We can’t have anyoneelse suspecting that an arach still lives.”
“Consider it done,” Kaylia said.
And with that, she opened a portal and walkedinto it. Brokk waved to them before following her through.
CHAPTER 8
“What about that?” Del asked and thrust afinger at the harrow stone.
Cole glanced back at where the red stonestill lay on the ground. It no longer glowed, but he would neverforget the way it shot toward Lexi before touching her and throwingher across the room… or the way it nearly killed her.
And then he recalled how it burnt Sahira andKaylia when they tried to pick it up. The thing could stay thereforever.
“Don’t,” he said and tugged on Lexi’s handwhen she bent to pick it up.
Her auburn hair fell across her face when sheturned her head to look at him. “Kaylia said it’s an arachpossession. I should be okay to touch it now that the curse hasbeen removed.”
“Shouldbe is far from definitely.That thing nearly killed you.”
She brushed the hair back from her face asshe rose again. “That’s because it felt a connection to me; it wasseeking my touch before. It didn’t know it would almost killme.”
“It’s a stone; it doesn’tknowanything,” Orin said.
“It knows it belongs tome,” Lexiretorted.
“She’s right,” Sahira said. “That stone ishers, and it recognizes her as its rightful owner.”
“Then why is it so quiet now?” Varoasked.
“Probably because it used abigburstof magic when it flew across the room to get closer to her,” Sahirasaid.
“And then another burst to almost kill her,”Cole grumbled.
