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Her chest clenched. “Not yet.” What would happen if she failed to have one in time? “What if we visited the Hall of Secrets for nothing?” Her contentment dissolved. “What if Grenwich has already found the temple?”
“Guess I’ll have to relax you again,” Rathbone said with a smirk, and she barked out a laugh.
Well, it wasn’t the worst idea. “Fine, but I refuse to cuddle with you after. And I’m definitely not sharing my secrets and sleeping in your arms.” A girl needed boundaries.
He pursed his lips in a hurry. “Youwillcuddle with me and share your secrets, oracle, and youwillsleep in my arms.”
“Ha! Try and make me. See what happens.” She was the one who did the smirking as she propped her elbows on his ribs and rested her chin in her palms. “Now, since I just won our first argument as a non-couple, we might as well change the subject. What do you wish to do about Lore?”
To her surprise, he remained relaxed, gently smoothing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Share a secret with me, and I’ll consider telling you.”
She rolled her eyes, but honestly, his insistence tickled all the right buttons. “Okay, here’s a secret from my most secure vault. Though you’ve received several clues, you’ve probably failed to guess how much I like unfried, sugarless vegetables. I also prefer granny panties to thongs and tennis shoes to heels.” Once she started, she couldn’t stop. “I hate chocolate. I talk to my reflection, and she talks back. She told me to stay away from you. And I’m not a stalker or anything, but a part of me thinks we should wear matching tracksuits. Is that weird?”
“Yes. Good thing I have a weird girl fetish.” His teasing, affectionate expression left her quivering. But it wasn’t long before he grew serious. “Your secrets did the trick. You asked about Lore. This is my answer. We’ll talk to Daisy about destroying the orb, ensuring Azar isn’t able to resurrect her.”
“Who’s Daisy? Never mind. We can’t destroy the orb, even if we find a way to destroy the orb. I’ll explain in a sec. First, I require confirmation. You’re saying you’re okay with killing Lore?” she asked, needing to be sure. “You’re sure?”
“To save you, I will do anything.” Infinitely tender, he kissed her lips. “I’m sure.”
That was...wow. Maybe the world’s most romantic gesture. Maybe he was forever. She softened against him. “I’ve changed the future, Rathbone.” But was it for better or worse?
“That’s good. Tell me why we can’t destroy the orb,” he insisted.
Right. “We can’t prevent Azar from winning his blessing task. Before you rage about it, don’t. I promised Taliyah. That’s how I earned the antidote for your spear-to-eyes poisoning. Which happened before Azar threatened to kill you if I didn’t hand over the orb, so there might be some wiggle room for causing a few injuries.”
“You promised to help the Astra. I did not. Trust me, love, I’m happy to do the dirty work for us.”
Whoa. Hold up. Had he just called her...love?
“Um. Great!” she squeaked.Get your head in the game, girl.“We’re about to have our first fight after halfway making up. If you’re going to keep me, and I’m not saying you get to, my debts are your debts. That’s nonnegotiable.”
Would he pull away from her now?
He tightened his grip. “If your debt is my debt, my son is your son, andthatis nonnegotiable.”
Ridiculous tears welled. Neeka the Wanted...a stepmother...to a maddening eternal teenager? Talk about a bucket list item she hadn’t known she longed to experience.
“You plan to find Maximus and take him from Hera?” she asked.
“I do. And I will. I’ll figure out how to reverse whatever she’s done to him, too.”
“Oh, Wrath Boned, that’s wonderful,” Neeka said, hugging him. “With you at his side, he’ll become a well-adjusted menace to society in no time.”
Rathbone returned the hug. A weary sigh escaped him. “Very well. If you devise a plan to bring Lore to life and save the Astra without endangering your life, I’ll aid you in your quest. But if you can’t, I’ll take care of matters my way. Do you agree?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Now, let’s get back to relaxing you...”
27
Rathbone kept a sleeping Neeka nestled against his side, both intoxicated with satisfaction and somehow stone-cold sober. For the first time in centuries, perhaps his entire life, he truly lived. A bright future awaited him. Or a nightmare.
His chest constricted. Why did his oracle continue to fight their connection? Did a part of her sense their doom?Werethey doomed?
He no longer put any stock in Erebus’s warning that Neeka must die for Rathbone to survive. As if he had a life without her.
Protective instincts pitched at even the thought of her harm, and he tightened his hold on her. He believed the god had lied. According to Neeka, Erebus partnered with Lore, a world-class deceiver, and the two sought the destruction of the Astra. They must have known Rathbone was past the point of being swayed, so why attempt to plant such a nefarious seed? They must have a purpose.
