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Not being one to back down, and because my serpent was feeling ornery, I stuck my fishing rod into the hole I’d dug into the ground and stood, shifting as I did into my naga form. I reared up to make myself as tall as possible.
“Who the fuck are you?” I didn’t like the way he stood in front of Sybil like he had some right to protect her. She was mine to protect.
Behind him, Sybil frowned.
The asshole eyed the fishing rod. “What? Your snake can’t hunt?”
“Gunnar. Stop it.” Sybil put a hand on his arm, and I bit back a hiss.
“Why don’t you come a little closer and find out, jackass?” I slithered forward.
The man mumbled something under his breath, and dropped his magical disguise. There was a brief shimmer, and he was transformed into a gargoyle, complete with wings, a tail, and stone-colored skin.
“Try me.” The gargoyle stepped toward me.
“Enough!” Sybil yelled, getting in between us. “There’s so much testosterone in the air, I think I’m going to drown. I appreciate you bringing me here, Gunnar, but stop antagonizing my mate.”
The gargoyle shrugged exaggeratedly. “Well, if he runs off again, you’re always welcome in my bed.”
That did it. I hissed and lunged at the gargoyle, only stopping short when Sybil stood in my way. Her magic surrounded me, and it felt as if I was glued in place.
“Zayn, stop. He’s just goading you, and you’re falling for it.” She glared at Gunnar. “Can we please have some privacy now?”
“Of course.” He kept his gaze on me. “But if you decide to leave Sybil again, I won’t hesitate to step in.” He had the audacity to grin at her. “I’ll go hang out with Mason for a bit. If you need a ride back, call me.”
The fuck she would.
Sybil’s magical hold relaxed, and I was able to move again. The gargoyle sauntered away, looking way too pleased with himself.
“You weren’t supposed to find me.” I didn’t have anywhere to hide, and there was nothing to do but face her.
“And you weren’t supposed to run.”
“I did it for you.” I had, even though I selfishly wanted to stay with her.
Her face softened, and she stepped in close. Unable to stop myself, I threw a coil around us and wrapped my arms around her. She fit so perfectly in them, and I never wanted to let go.
“Didn’t you know you can’t run from a witch?” Her voice cracked at the end of the sentence and turned into a soft sob.
And there it was. I’d hurt her.
“I’m so sorry.” I sat her down on one of my coils and kissed away a salty tear that was sliding down her face. “I did it for you. I only wanted to protect you.”
She leaned into me like she wasn’t strong enough to stand on her own. “From what? You’d never hurt me.”
“How can you be so sure? I feel like I’m hurting you right now.”
“Because I was there, Zayn. I was present when you shifted. Your snake would never hurt me.” She reached up and touched my jaw. “But even though you were wrong about that, you did the right thing. Because it broke the curse.”
My heart leapt. Of course! That was why I’d been able to control my shifts so perfectly in the Enforcement Agency’s building. The curse was broken.
“But how?”
“You sacrificed something important. That was the solution.”
The words in her book flashed in my head. In leaving, I’d sacrificed my own happiness to keep her safe.
“But will the curse return now that I’m here with you and happy?”
