Blue sparks gather at my fingertips, the magic coming up easy, ready to eat through the chains?—
And dies as Kade blinks into existence right in front of the door in a curl of black smoke.
“Shit.” So much for slipping in quiet.
“Yeah. You got that right.” Kade’s arms are already crossed. “What the fuck are you doing? I thought we talked about this.”
“I gotta go in there, Kade.” I don’t lower my hand, and I don’t break her stare.
“No.” She doesn’t move. “The fuck you don’t.”
Then she groans, her whole face changing, and at the same time Mara’s tail goes rigid and alert behind her. I turn around.
Josiah’s standing in the grass behind us, grinning, his eyes flashing red in the dark.
“My Layla is in a deep slumber,” he says, pleasant and unbothered. “I tired her out something wonderful these past few days. She needs her rest.”
Kade’s jaw goes tight. “Go back to Medina Shadow.”
Josiah shrugs and drifts closer, hands loose at his sides. “I get restless, waiting on my beautiful bride to wake.” His gaze slides to Mara and he stops and bows his head to her, low and courtly. “Good evening, beautiful lioness.”
Mara glares at him. He grins back, pleased with himself.
He straightens and looks among the three of us, delighted. “So. What have we got planned for this lovely evening? A trip to the Witching Glen?” His eyebrows climb. “How exciting.”
“You aren’t fucking coming,” Kade says.
Josiah raises one eyebrow. “Why not?” He tilts his head, the grin spreading slow over his fangs. “‘The help that arrives uninvited is the help the moment chose for you. Turn it away, and you insult the hand of fate.’ Chapter twenty-two.”
I look at him planted there in the grass, not budging. He can’t seriously think he’s coming with us. But he hasn’t moved an inch, and with Josiah, that’s as good as decided.
He’s coming. The last thing in any world I need.
34
Aaron
This is a very bad idea, but Jo isn’t moving. He’s parked in front of the chained cottage with his hands in his pockets, and he hasn’t taken his eyes off the door. My magic still holds it shut, blue-gold woven through the white of Tiana’s chains. It’s full dark out, no moon, just low cloud. A pale light bleeds through it from somewhere I can’t place, washing the rooftops gray. Mara stays pressed to my arm, her tail wound tight to her leg, and Kade steps between me and the door with murder sitting plain on her face.
“Do not open that Glen and let this”—Kade jabs a finger at him without looking—“lunatic walk through.”
Josiah’s grin spreads slow. “I don’t find your comments about me offensive, Mother Kade.” And that’s the thing that gets under her skin.
“You have no idea how bad I want to beat your ass right now.” Her hand curls into a fist at her side.
He just grins at her, easy and bright.
I turn to him. “Jo. You’ve never been in the Witching Glen, right?” He tips his head, and I push it. “You came in during the settlement. But you’ve never actually set foot inside the Glen.”
“Of course I haven’t been in the Witching Glen.” His brow furrows. “I was a full vampire during the settlement. I’ve only carried Blackwood magic a little more than a decade.”
“So why would you want to walk into a realm packed wall to wall with witches and warlocks?” I don’t look away from him.
That gets me the smile. “‘You cannot take apart a thing you refuse to walk inside.’ Chapter seven.” Kade rolls her eyes. “And,” he adds, “I’d make a fine protector for your mate.”
His gaze slides to Mara, and she hisses at him on instinct, her tail snapping up alert behind her. Josiah’s whole face lights up. “The lioness is so feisty.”
“So you’ve got a death wish. Even with your beautiful Layla.” Kade drags the name out long and sweet, mocking.
