“I killed him,” Jane said quietly, without looking at him. It was acknowledgement.
She still hadn’t moved from his lap, and that alone spoke volumes about how deeply unsettled she was. Reagan remembered the first time he’d taken a life. Two, actually. The hollowness afterward had been a pit. But hers was different.
“You defended yourself,” Reagan said steadily, his hands cradling her face. “And because of you, we’re going to free those captives.”
Her throat worked before she nodded.
“I was expecting you yesterday,” Reagan said. “What happened?”
“I couldn’t,” she said hoarsely. “I was unconscious yesterday after he made me See for him.”
Reagan’s jaw tightened. His gaze swept over her eyes, her face, her bloodied hands and stained nails.
She seemed better now, her gaze slipping past him again, tracking Barracus and the other squad leads as they coordinated the next wave of battle mages.
His heart kicked painfully at the memory of her power unleashed, of her eyes deadly white and merciless.
“I cannot wait,” he said, tucking a strand of her wet hair, “to explore that beautiful access of yours.”
Her eyes brightened again. Jane tugged at his collar, and it was the only nudge he needed. He pressed his mouth to hers, brief and hard, knowing they didn’t have much time before Heil’s familiar carried the signal.
The final squads entering through the portal were forgotten. There was only her in the field, and the small body that had wielded more than he’d expected.
Jane pulled back, but he tightened his hold, keeping her pressed to him.
“Don’t,” he said, tightening the arm cinched around her waist. “Not yet.”
His mana thrummed against hers.
“I’m all right now,” Jane said, though she didn’t sound entirely certain.
He still couldn’t let go, knowing he was gazing at her as if she were Zara’s gift to magekin. To him.
“Maybe you are all right,” Reagan murmured. “But I’m not. Not even close.”
He felt her body soften into his, watched her shut her eyes and bury her face against his chest.
Quicker than he would have liked, a nebulous mountain lion slipped out from the room, met his gaze, and vanished.
Reagan cupped her face again. “You’ll stay with me. At all times. We’ll take the prick together. Deal?”
He waited.
Jane nodded. “Deal.”
Chapter 65
Jane
As I entered the padded room again, I made no move to withdraw my arm from Reagan’s waist, and he didn’t loosen his hold around my shoulders.
Part of me wanted to stay behind and not return to the mansion. Another part wanted to see this through. To be certain the captives were freed. To see Madden fall the way I had watched Cahir bleed.
Ihad bled him, not Reagan. I had known it would happen, just not bymyhand.
Easy asboiling water, Reagan had described.
Cahir should have listened when I’d told him to run.
