I lifted an eyebrow.
“That cut on his arm? It’s not an accident,” Corbin growled.
“What do you mean?”
Corbin shook his head. “I can’t tell you any more, Maeve. It’s not my story. But I think you need to talk to him. He’s not coping and he’s trying to hide it because he doesn’t want to show any weakness.”
That sounded like Arthur. My chest tightened up as fear crept in again. “I hate this. I hate that people died and everyone is hurting and I’m helpless.”
“Just talk to him when you have the chance. I’d do it, but if he’s doing what I think he’s doing, I don’t have the impact on him that you do. If anyone can show him what it means to be brave, it’s you.”
After my shower, I crawled into bed next to Rowan. He whimpered in his sleep and pulled me into his arms, spooning my body so his warmth caressed my naked skin. I stared at the closed door of our bedroom, the ghosts of Blood Lust’s lyrics pounding in my ears. Arthur snored on the bed opposite.
Corbin’s words pounded in my head.If anyone can show him what it means to be brave, it’s you.
Why me? I wasn’t brave. I’d been leading this coven for barely two weeks and I was already falling apart. I’d never had to face the cruel truths of life until my parents died, until I discovered my mother had tried to kill me. But Arthur had lived with cruelty like that his entire life. I had nothing to teach him, nothing to offer him except my love.
Arthur’s beard hung over the edge of the bed, his hair plastered to his forehead and his lips pursed as he let out a loud, shuddering snore. My chest constricted as I recalled the long, fresh cut across his scarred skin.
My beautiful warrior. What are you hiding from me now?
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
BLAKE
Iwatched with one eye open from the mezzanine level as Corbin, Arthur and Maeve snuck out of the apartment. I debated following them to whatever sneaky shenanigans they had planned but decided against it. Tonight I was getting answers if it killed me. Which it very probably would.
Maeve needed a miracle, a way to defeat Daigh without having to sacrifice herself or kill an innocent the way her mother did. No way in hell was I going to let that happen.
In the palm of my hand, I held a tiny glass vial that could give us those answers.
The others would be pissed when they found out I’d done it without them, but they’d be just as pissed if I showed the draught to them and told them I’d gone to Clara by myself. Better to have them pissed at me when I had something to bargain with.
You’re thinking like a fae again. You and Corbin did that hand-shaking thing that means he’s going to stop being suspicious of everything you do. You don’t need something to bargain with anymore. This is a hundred times more dangerous than trying to find Liah in the fae realm. Doing this alone is a bad idea, and just because you’re the Prince of Bad Ideas doesn’t mean you should make another mistake.
I turned to the bed where Flynn lay sleeping, the sheets a tangle around his torso. I hesitated, my hand hovering over his shoulder. Here it was, the final test – trusting a human.
I clamped my hand down and shook Flynn awake.
“Get outta mah garden, you gombeen dryshite!” he yelled, slugging his fist at the air.
“It’s just me,” I grinned, grabbing his wrist and pushing his arm back into the pillow. “Do you want to help me do something that’ll piss off Corbin?”
“Fecking hell, yes.” Flynn kicked off the sheets. His eyes narrowed as he saw the tiny vial in my hands. “Not more dream-walking? I’ve seen enough severed hands to last me lifetime, thank you very much.”
Quickly, I explained to him what Clara had told me. “We should probably wait for the others,” he frowned. “Corbin will?—”
I had an idea he’d chicken out on me. Luckily, I’d been observing him over the last few days, ever since I realized he was mad keen on Maeve, and I knew exactly how to push him into complying. “Corbin left with Maeve and Arthur about twenty minutes ago. They were all dressed up.”
Something dark passed over Flynn’s features. He bit his lip.Yep, he’s got it bad.“And doing this will help Maeve?”
“I’m not gonna lie to you. I don’t know if it will help. But we need answers, and the best place to get them is at the source. This draught will get me into the underworld as a shade. They won’t be able to see. I’ll try to get close to Daigh and overhear something useful.”
“Fine. It’s your life to bollocks up,” Flynn shrugged. “What do I have to do?”
A niggle itched at the edge of my mind, a thought that said I probably shouldn’t use Flynn’s insecurities against him. “I just need you to watch me. If it looks like I’m in trouble, wake me up. And if you can, feed me magic so I can keep the connection going longer.”
“Can do.” Flynn shuffled over so I could lie down on the bed. “Is this dangerous?”
