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His dark eyebrows rose. “You’re a bit of a package deal. That goes without saying.”
“So you might be asking me for a favor or you might be saving my butt?”
“Yes. This is pretty much the best deal that I’ve ever offered. You should take it.”
I’d bet it was. The deal sounded reasonable, but we had a common goal right now. What happened if that changed? What do you think?
I don’t know. You’re asking all the right things though.
I thought for a second. “I won’t do anything that would harm good people. I won’t do anything evil. I won’t meddle in any kind of dark magic.”
Eli shrugged. “I agree to the first two, but the last one—maybe we’ll call it gray magic? I wouldn’t want to limit what you can use in a fight.”
“Fair enough. But I reserve to the right to have a hard pass on anything you ask, and you can’t blackmail or coerce me to do it.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t dream of blackmailing or coercing. I’m not a demon.”
What do you think? I asked Dastien. Be honest. Should we take the deal?
I don’t know, but we’re in a tough spot. We need his help and he knows it. That’s never a good position to be in.
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m the only power that’s helping to stop the end from coming. This is a good deal.”
“So I agree to this and you’ll be popping in my life whenever it suits you?”
He grinned. “Pretty much. You’ll owe me, and I’ll be able to ask you for endless favors. Which you will be able to turn down or not as you will.”
“Endless?” No. Not a chance.
“Fine.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Shall we set a number?”
“Damned straight. Five favors.” That was totally reasonable.
“Fifty.”
He had to be joking. “No. Ten.”
“Fine. Let’s call it fifteen with the potential to renegotiate when the time arises. Are we agreed?”
I can turn the favors down, but do you think he’d let me?
I wouldn’t think so, but he did say no blackmail. Dastien was thinking about how this deal was a bust, but he also knew I couldn’t turn him down.
At least I could say no to whatever he was asking me to do in the future, but he might make my life hell for it. But figurative hell was way better than actual hell.
I let out a breath. This doesn’t seem that bad, but I’m not loving it either.
I don’t like the idea of us being tied to him. We don’t know what could happen in the future—where we’ll be in life and if we’ll even want to entertain his requests. This bond between you and him would be forever.
There was no way Eli was going to offer up any info up that I didn’t specifically ask about. I hoped I wasn’t missing something big. If I could ask Claudia—
“I’m making the deal with you, not your cousin or your mate. Since you’re already bonded to Dastien, I’ll let him have some say. But I draw the line there.”
“Is there anything else you want from me?”
“No. Are we agreed?” He held out his hand.
Do it, Dastien said.
