Page 30
“It's Heartbreak's true name.”
I waited, but he didn't say more. “You're not going to tell me what it is.”
“No, I've said all I can.” He held my gaze, steady, apologetic. “I'm sorry.”
“If its name was responsible for what happened last night, I understand why it's hesitant to share more. Can you at least tell me what it does? I mean, beyond what I witnessed.”
“A Curse's true name can be used to amplify its power, increasing its area of influence and its sensitivity. That, in turn, amplifies the Pull.”
“Amplifies but not decrease?”
“Nothing can decrease the power of a Curse. If only.”
“Are you saying that Heartbreak could be used as a weapon?”
“No, the name doesn't compel Heartbreak to hurt people. It can't be directed at a specific target. But the name gives Osric leverage. He can weaken the resistance I've built up over the centuries and exploit the connection between me and the Curse.”
“Last night wasn't just an attack,” I said slowly as it all came into focus in my mind. “He was experimenting, testing the name to see what it could do.”
“I believe so.” The word came out low. “A first attempt. Which means—”
“There will be another one,” I finished. “And he'll be better at it next time.”
Neither of us said anything for a moment. I stared at him, thinking about how much pain was inflicted upon DC the night before. All because some asshole wanted to control Heartbreak and tear it out of Tristan. Why would he even want to remove it?
I finally slipped my shoes on and picked up my purse. “I have to go in. They're waiting for me.”
“No, you're not going anywhere near this.”
I froze with my hand on my purse strap. “Excuse me?”
“Destiny, you're a target. The theft of the silver piece confirms it.” His voice had gone cold, distant—the same tone he'd used when he first tried to warn me away. “You need to step back now, before it gets worse.”
“Step back?” I turned to face him fully. “How exactly am I supposed to do that?”
“You go to the museum, tell them nothing's missing, and then you ask for a new assignment. Say the theft has scared you, tell them you're superstitious and the faulty furnace combined with the theft spooked you, make something up. I don't care what you say, as long as you get them to hand the reliquary to someone else.” He crossed his arms over his bare chest. “And we never see each other again.”
The words hit like a slap. “This again?”
“I'm trying to keep you safe.”
“Oh, for fuck's sake!” I shook my head. “This is not how you do that. You want to keep me safe? We need to stick together.”
“Sticking together is what's going to get you hurt—either by Osric or by me.”
“You don't know that.”
“I have seventeen hundred years of evidence to back it up. People around me suffer. They always suffer. And I will not—” His voice cracked. “I will not watch you become another name on my list.”
“So instead, you cast me to the fucking wolves?” I could feel tears burning behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “What do you think is going to happen to me without you? Asking for a new assignment isn't going to separate me from this. You heard Haversham. I'm involved, but without you, I don't know how to protect myself. You said last night that you regretted taking me home, but now you want to cut ties? What the actual fuck?”
“That was before Osric stole the silver piece and used it against me. Before you took some of my pain.” He turned away, his hands clenching into fists. “This is going to get so much worse. The best thing I can do for you is let you go.”
“It's because I took your pain,” I whispered. “That's what this is about.”
He didn't answer.
The silence stretched between us, heavy with everything unsaid. My anger cooled into something more complicated—frustration, fear, and a touch of affection. He was scared for me. It was sweet, but unnecessary—not about this.
