“I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.” Lyra winked at Theo.
His insides heated, but Pippa nearly growled at Lyra, snagging his attention.
“As I said,” Emmett cleared his throat, “would you be interested in switching sides, Lyra?” Emmett’s grip tightened on his axe, but he made no move to stand up. The subtle threat was there.
“We have no idea if we can trust her!” Pippa shrieked, crossing her arms over her chest. Lyra tossed her a harsh glare and turned back towards Emmett.
“Honestly,” Lyra pointed at Pippa, “I’ll help you just to piss this one off.”
“You fucking—” Pippa held up a dagger and advanced towards Lyra, who made a feral sound in response and held up her sharp claws.
“Please, stop!” Theo shouted. The stress of everything was starting to come down on him, and he couldn’t take another minute of the constant fighting and stimulation. There must have been an echo of his pain in his voice, because Pippa sheathed her dagger and kneeled at Theo’s side.
“Hey. I’m sorry.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Emmett came over and joined them, squatting down opposite Pippa.
“If you’re not comfortable with this, then we can find a way to make sure she doesn’t obstruct us and go on our way,” Emmett added thoughtfully, but Theo shook his head. He looked past both of them and made direct eye contact with Lyra.
Theo thought he’d been hit with the siren song all over again. Her claws had disappeared, but she was staring back at him with an intensity that flared up in his stomach. He was drawn to her, irrevocably, even though she’d just tried to kill him and had admitted to working with his enemy.
“Will you help us if we offer to match whatever Cliodhna offered you?”
Lyra was silent for a long minute. She shifted her gaze between Theo, Emmett, and Pippa. Theo thought she would never respond before she gave him a curt nod.
“I’ll helpyou,princeling,” Lyra affirmed. She turned her attention towards Pippa. “I won’t travel with the baobhan-sith, however.”
Pippa’s lip curled, and she nearly lunged for the mermaid again. “What, are you afraid of a little competition? I’m fucking mated, bitch, but if you ever want to find out who’s more deadly?—”
“O-okay,” Emmett drawled, pinching the bridge of his nose and standing up. “Pippa, you are not seducing anyone else. Lyra, I’m afraid that traveling with us is nonnegotiable, but I have a seal from Calum himself in my pack. We can make this official, and you’ll be able to claim your reward from him when this is over.Onlywhen this is over. Is that clear?”
“Wait,” Theo interrupted, tugging on Emmett’s sleeve. “Can you do that? I don’t know if Calum would approve of you giving her a carte blanche offer to cash in with him.”
Emmett turned around and faced Theo, his brown eyes full of warmth. “Theo,” his voice dropped so only Theo could hear him, “Calum will pay Lyra whatever she wants. There are some stipulations. He’s not going to do anything illegal for her. But, trust me, he told me to do whatever was necessary to break your curse.”
Fresh tears sprang up in Theo’s eyes, and he had to turn away to collect himself as Emmett continued negotiating.
“You’ll be able to get any reward you’d like from Calum, barring anything illegal.” Emmett’s brow furrowed as he stared Lyra down. “It’s a mighty favor, having the Prince in your pocket, but don’t be fooled. It’ll be fae bargain terms.”
Lyra didn’t look surprised, but her expression soured a bit further. Theo leaned towards Pippa and shrugged.
“What are Calum’s ‘fae bargain terms’?”
“Ah.” Pippa nodded slowly. “The deal is signed in blood and magic. If she doesn’t uphold her end of the bargain, she dies.” Theo’s eyes went wide, and he was suddenly paralyzed at the thought of a world without Lyra. He wanted to object to the terms, which Pippa must have seen on his face.
“It’s a common enough set of terms, Theo,” she told him. “She’ll be able to request almost anything from Calum. There has to be a way to make sure she doesn’t run off with you.” Theo said nothing in response, trying and failing to understand the world he’d suddenly been dropped into.
“I’ll do it.” Lyra’s voice was as clear as a bell. “I’ll assist you, and I’ll sign your fae’s bargain. I’ll defend Theo, and I won’t turn him over to Cliodhna, but if something else kills him, I won’t be held responsible.”
“Something else?” Theo squawked.
“Agreed.” Emmett held out his hand, and Lyra shook it.
Pippa and Theo both started shouting in response.
“What else might kill me?” Theo looked around, confused, and Pippa grumbled about how much she didn’t trust the siren.
Lyra put a hand on her hip and turned her icy stare back on Theo. He could practically feel it whenever she had eyes on him.
