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Maia ground her teeth. "Fine. But when whatever is leaking into this world comes for us? Comes forJaro?It's on you, Isak Sintali."
Maia stalked for the stairs but spun back around, her nostrils flaring with anger. "Jaro suffered for fuckingyears, and he did it silently and without complaint. I can't evenimaginethe things he had to endure, the people who abused him." She swallowed, Yeven crossing her mind and sending a tremor of magic through her. "I don't think he's ever felt safe, and if you won't help us even for him? Fuck you, Isak. I hope your next venereal disease kills you."
Pain ruptured through her chest, through the irritating bond tying them together, but Maia but her tongue on a gasp and stalked down the stairs.Fuck, it stung like a bitch. Her steps thumped the wooden steps punishingly hard, her heart thumping loudly in her ears. She screamed in frustration when she tripped on the third-to-last step, fumbling for the bannister to stay on her feet.
She says not to trip on the way down the stairs.
"Fucking saints," Maia growled under her breath even though it was her own fault for not listening to the saint of mistakes and animals.
Steps thundered behind her, and Maia spun with a harsh fae snarl when she reached the bottom, baring sharp teeth at Isak.
"What did you mean people abused him?" he demanded, his brown eyes full of fire, and a strange wildness she hadn’t seen before. He'd thrown on the leather trousers Maia had dumped on the floor, but his chest was bare and pale, cut with annoying abs.
Maia made a sound in her throat and turned away, storming through his stolen shop. "Don't pretend to give a shit." He clearly cared about Jaro enough to carry that painting everywhere with him, but not enough to help when they needed something real. It was bullshit.
If that circle stayed open, more saints would find their way through. Ismene would be besties with those, too. She’d be untouchable. All powerful.
Maia shuddered.
"Dove," Isak barked, sounding nothing like the smirking, laughing scoundrel.
Maia spun back and flung her arms out at her sides, her fear masquerading as fury. "What did you think it was like being indentured in the pillow rooms? Picnics at the park and moonlit walks along the river?Grow up,Isak."
The blood drained from his face. His eyes bleached of all bullshit and cockiness, making him look his age for the first time.
Maia swore filthily.
Okay. He hadn't known. Okay. She'd just told Jaro's brother that he was a courtesan, possibly against his wishes. Okay.
Isak shook his head, his chestnut hair messy and tangled around his shoulders. "No. He was sent to a household like I was."
"I thought he'd have told you," Maia breathed, but now realised how stupid that was. Jaro'd had ten minutes alone with his brother, tops, and even then Ark had been with them. She was a fucking idiot. "Don't tell him you know. Please. I don't think he wanted you to know."
Isak dragged a hand down his face and laughed bitterly. "He said it earlier, but I didn't know what he meant. He called himself a whore. He was really ... there?"
"Don't be pathetic, you can say the name. And yes, he was at the pillow rooms. For years. And hestillused every last minute of his free time to help the rebels and find you. It was one of the first things I knew about him; that he was looking for his lost brother. So grow a backbone and help us."
Isak laughed and shook his shaggy head, his teeth bared. A predator surging to the surface. "Megrow a backbone? What aboutyou? Not going to acknowledge our bond, dove?"
Maia swallowed, completely thrown. "How long have you known?" she asked, faltering.
"Viskae told me when you left earlier. Figured that was why you woke me up tonight." He smirked, his eyes going smoky and dark but that predator still hovering, circling. "To consummate the bond."
Way too rough for my tastes…
"In your dreams."
"I have no interest in a mate," he went on, watching Maia closely enough to make her fidget. "I can't be tied down;fartoo dull. If I wanted someone to nag me about drinking so much and burying myself in every available pussy, I'd get a wife."
"Aww, you'd be such a loyal, faithful husband," Maia crooned, with so much bullshit in her voice.
Isak shrugged his bare shoulders. "I'd be fun, and one hell of a lover. If you ever want to get in bed with me, I wouldn't complain. Just saying."
"Well, if I ever decide to get in bed with you and the hundred crawling things that live in your junk, I'll let you know. Just know I won't go anywhere near that—" she made a disgusted gesture at his leather pants— "without making sure my mates are okay with it first."
Isak shrugged, leaning against the desk when she turned to the door. "I won't hold my breath. Plenty of other women are lining up to join me in bed anyway."
Maia gave him the middle finger. "Well, enjoy that."
She twisted the lock on the door and stalked out into the cold, pissed off at his irresponsible carelessness, pissed off at her own unwanted jealousy, but mostly pissed off that she'd failed.
"Nothing," she muttered, shaking her head at Ark and Azrail. "Waste of fucking time. We'll have to find it some other way."
