“Abram…,” I pleaded softly. “Stop.”
Disappointment filled his eyes as he looked away from me.
“Fine, but I’m going with you.” He turned to the house. “Give me just a moment, and I’ll get dressed.”
I stared after him as he disappeared into the house. I looked at Nyxthra standing off to the side, visible to only me.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Nate asked. “He looks like he loves you.”
My body twisted toward Nate. Nyxthra sneered at the words. My eyes darkened, and my voice hollowed.
“Abram does not love me. He can’t, I’m not his mate.”
Nate stared at me before his gaze moved to Abram as he came toward us.
“Maybe you aren’t his mate, but he’s in love with you.”
Nyxthra and I both stepped toward Nate with anger. His words only pissed us off. Abram didn’t love me, and he would toss me aside as soon as his mate showed up.
“I can assure you that he doesn’t.”
I couldn’t let myself believe that he loved me. This was going to come to an end, and if I couldn’t find my mate then losing Abram was going to kill me. I’d have to leave and go live somewhere else so I’d never have to see him with the woman who replaced me. A sharp pain stabbed me in the chest.
Abram grabbed my hand as soon as he was close enough. He smiled softly at me, but his gaze flickered to where Nyxthra stood, like he could feel her presence. I glanced up at him and prayed to anything that would listen to let the oracle tell me that I found my mate already—that Jade was wrong. Abram’s eyes softened as I stared at him. My eyes drifted over his black outfit, the sleeves of his tunic rolled up, and I felt it, love pumped through me.
I was in love with him, but he would never choose me over his mate. Which meant that if the oracle couldn’t tell me who my mate was, I was fucked. I wouldn’t break the curse.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes, just nervous,” I lied.
Abram nodded as he used his magic to wrap around us. I closed my eyes as his hand tightened around mine—warm, steady, possessive in a way that made something flutter deep in my chest, no matter how much I pretended it didn’t. When his magic disappeared, we were in a small village center crowded with people close to the Falgon castle. Its massive greystone walls were overtaken with green vines and dark flowers. Gods, it was beautiful.
“Where does he live?” I asked Nate.
“That’s the hard part. He’s kind of elusive and paranoid. So we’ll check where he used to hang out.”
“Wonderful,” Abram sighed, scanning the area.
His eyes skipped right past the women who turned their heads sharply to admire him. Not one glance lingered on any of them; his hand only tightened on mine, magic humming against my skin. A stupid, warm pulse hit behind my ribs at the silent claim.
“She’s married.” His voice came out in a low, territorial growl.
Heat shot up my neck when I followed his gaze. A tall man with black hair and bright blue eyes stood staring at me, openly, boldly. My stomach twisted with discomfort and something sharper when he didn’t look away.
Abram lifted my hand, showing off the ring like a warning. “She’s married,” he repeated, darker this time.
The man backed off immediately but his cold gaze was unsettling.
“For fuck’s sake, Abe.” I laughed, though my cheeks were hot and my heart was doing entirely too much.
Nate began to head up the street, and we followed silently. The air was humid with the smell of street food and drifting smoke, and my gaze kept flickering through the crowd like I might somehow see my mate standing there waiting for me. The hope was stupid, but it clung to me anyway. Abram’s eyes stayed fixed on Nate, but his brows were lowered, his expression distant, like his thoughts were spiraling somewhere I could not reach.
After a few minutes, he looked at me oddly.
“What if the oracle tells you the name of your mate?”
I looked up at him, and my stomach dropped at the worry etched across his face.
