“I was cuffed in iron,” Pharis said. “Iron weakens us.”
“But how were you even captured?”
With all of his powerful glamours, it seemed unlikely the Kings’ men would have been able to get Pharis inside the castle walls against his will.
“I was… tired,” was all he said. “I let my guard down. And… I didn’t feel like fighting.”
My mind was still a little fuzzy about the recent past, but some things had come back to me.
I’d given Pharis a chance to stop me from going to Stellon, hoping the ultimatum might convince him to admit some sort of attachment to me.
Instead he’d broken his promise never to use his powers on me again and compelled me to leave him.
I went silent, not knowing what to say, not knowing what I even wanted. Part of me wanted to beg Pharis to tell me he’d done it all out of love.
Part of me knew that would be hopeless.
If he did love me, why would he have sent me to Stellon?
“It’s all right, Wildcat,” he assured me. “I’m fine. It’s over now—thanks to your courage. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Once I see you safely to your family, I’ll follow my own advice and let you go.”
His promise left a dull, heavy feeling in my chest. It was hard to take a full breath.
What wasthatabout?
Back at Seaspire, I’d been so sure about my decision to end my involvement withbothof the Randalin brothers. But now there was this sense of impending loss that filled me with dread.
We found the Evanescer’s cottage, and Pharis gleaned the man’s transportation glamour, compelling him to forget all about it and promising to return it later tonight.
When we stepped back outside, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.
My heart thumped against his body so hard he must have been able to feel it.
Looking down at me, he spoke softly. “Are you ready to see your family again?”
I nodded. But nothing happened.
Pharis just stood there, staring at me as if memorizing every line of my face. A charge of energy hovered between us. Maybe it was the Evanescing glamour ramping up? Maybe it was something else.
“What is it?” I asked.
Blinking at last, Pharis said, “Nothing. It’s just… when we get there, I think I should help move your family to a new location. Stellon’s been to Havendor once before. He might remember it and search for you there. That is, unless youwanthim to be able to locate you?”
“No, definitely not. Not after what he did to you,” I said. “Do you think he would actuallyforceme to return with him? Threaten my family or something?”
Pharis shook his head. “I don’t know what he might do. My brother has changed. Whether his feelings for you are real or they’re motivated by a love spell, he said he wouldn’t give up, and I believed him.”
“Could you evanesceallof us somewhere else?” I asked.
“Not that many at once,” Pharis said, “but I could make several trips, travel back and forth and bring you one at a time.”
“Where would we go?”
Pharis thought for a moment. “There’s a little seaside village at the tip of southern Marinus, right on the Cyan Sea. I’ve been there once. I think you’d like it. I know how much you love the ocean…”
A little smile passed over his lips. “...and being warm.”
I blushed, remembering the last time I’d felt very warm in his presence—the hot springs pool.
