“Could’ve been worse,” he replied. “Lirian could’ve answered.”
He had a point.
Not that I would admit that.
“I need a favor.” I got right to it.
“I know.”
“How—?” I stopped myself.
A slow smile appeared. “You want me to ensure Casteel cannot follow you to Pensdurth.”
“Can you?” I asked.
“I can.”
“Can you do it without harming him?” I clarified.
His smile kicked up a notch, and again, there was something familiar about it. “I will just prevent him from opening the realm. He would have to travel the old-fashioned way. And things should be…over by then.”
Over.
The way he’d said that…
A chill curled down my spine.
“But a favor is not free.”
“What?” I demanded.
He cocked his head, causing a lock of hair not pulled back into his knot to slide against his cheek. “A favor for a favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
“One of my choosing.” Thorne arched a brow. “Can I call you Poppy?”
“That’s your favor?”
“No.”
My hands closed. “Then, no.”
He sighed. “Do you accept?”
I eyed him. I didn’t think his favor would require something…disturbing. Hopefully. Damn it. It didn’t matter. Whatever it was, Casteel was worth it. “Yes.”
“You sure?” His voice dropped, the teasing quality gone. “You sure this is what you want?”
I nodded without hesitation.
Something flickered across his features and in his eyes that chilled my blood. “Done.”
Thorne disappeared before I could take another breath, leaving me staring at where he’d been.
What I’d seen on his face, in his eyes? It had looked like…disappointment.
CHAPTER 54
