“Start making more sense than that, little weaver.”
“You stepped into the circle,” I said, my voice breaking despite myself. “Which means we’re married, asshole.”
Silence.
Abram blinked slowly, like his mind was refusing to catch up. His mouth opened, then closed again.
“Married,” he said finally, testing the word like it might explode.
“That’s all you have to say?” I snapped.
“Why the hell would you make a spell forthat?” he fired back.
“Because every man I met was awful,” I said. “And I was terrified of choosing wrong. I thought the moon would choose better than I could.”
His eyes sharpened. “Did you cast a spell onme?”
I slapped him.
“How dare you,” I hissed, fury flooding through me. “I would never trick you into marriage. I asked for someone kind. If the moon thought that was you, then it has a cruel sense of humor.”
“I can’t be married to you,” he said, pacing now, hands raking through his hair. “Undo it.”
“I can’t,” I said quietly. “I don’t know how.”
He stared at me like I had grown another head. “You have got to be the worst witch I’ve ever met. How do you cast somethingthat permanent without a way out? What if the man who showed up here was a pervert?”
“Gods, you are insufferable.” I turned and stormed toward the break in the trees.
Abram fell into step beside me. “You’re leaving?”
“Yes. Because I don’t know how to fix whatyoudid.”
“Me?” He looked genuinely offended.
“Yes, you,” I snapped. “I told you to leave. You didn’t listen. Now look at us.” I gestured between us. “Married.”
That word seemed to steady him.
Abram slowed. His gaze lingered on my face longer than necessary, thoughtful now instead of panicked. Heat crept into my cheeks under his scrutiny.
“I’ll figure out a way to undo this,” I whispered.
Something shifted in his expression. The tension in his shoulders eased as his eyes traced over me, measuring, considering.
“No,” he said finally. “Don’t do that.”
My chest tightened.
“This is fine,” he went on. “It doesn’t mean anything. You need to be married for your coven, right?”
“Yes,” I said warily.
He nodded, visibly relaxing. “Then use me as your husband. As soon as I meet my mate, this marriage is over.”
Mate.
The word punched the air out of my lungs.
