“There’s no one to dob you in,” he adds gently. “So please, don’t worry.” Then, more briskly, because softness clearly unnerves him, “I do, however, have many—many—questions. But first, I’m going to help you.”
“You are going tohelpme?” My voice is hoarse, disbelieving.
“Yes.” A faint smile tugs at his mouth. “Oh, you fascinate me, Harper House. Through all that adversity you’ve remained a good person.” His gaze sharpens. “I disapprove of your methods; your use of magic is dangerous. But the people you’ve helped have hidden it remarkably well.”
His thumbs trace gentle circles over my knuckles. “You have powerful allies—far more than you realise. People who love you.”
I blink, thrown by the certainty in his tone.
“So perhaps we can agree,” he continues, “no twisting magic unless it’s an emergency. No attempts at world domination. While you adjust to being human again, let me keep you safe.”
“…Okay,” I say, because I have nothing else.
“Right then.” He grins, sudden and boyish. “I’m going to order us some food; you haven’t eaten all day.” He leans forward and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Forgive me for lying. We all have our secrets, and I had to see for myself.”
He stands, pulls out his phone, and scrolls for a takeaway.
“People lie all the time,” he adds, glancing back at me. “They pretend to be virtuous when they’re not—or to be villains when they aren’t.”
I nod. He gives me one last smile before turning away to place the order.
Wow. That was… different.
Do I trust him? I do not know.
When I thought he had tricked me, it felt as though what remained of my heart had been ground to dust. And now… now I have hope again.
But is hope enough?
I always tell myself to be brave, yet bravery without caution is mere folly, and I refuse to be foolish again. I cannot blindly trust him, however much I wish to, so I do the sensible thing: play along with his plan and see whether he truly keeps me safe, all the while searching for alternatives.
Perhaps it is time to join the paper mages. Everything I have discovered suggests they are decent people, yet an island full of paper mages—even if it is only Knox—makes a tempting target. Power always attracts attention.
Time and again I have learnt that magic alone is insufficient; even the strongest mage needssomeone watching their back. If I call for Beryl, she will come, but she has her own battles, her own scars. I will not drag her into mine.
What I need now is food, sleep, and space to think. By tomorrow, matters may be clearer.
And I really, really do not want to be wrong about him.
One thing is certain: Lander Kane may be watching me, but I am watching him, too.
Chapter Twenty-Six
In the morning,Arthur wakes me by hopping on my head.
“You are naughty, Snack Thief,” I mumble, blinking blearily as feathers tickle my nose.
I get up and dress in an outfit similar to yesterday’s—wide-leg trousers and a loose tunic top, this time in navy blue—then wander into the kitchen. Lander is there, making breakfast. He spent the night in one of the upstairs guest rooms, which feels far too intimate for someone I am still not entirely sure I trust.
He turns with a grin. “Best meal of the day.”
He looks devastatingly handsome when he smiles. Heat rises to my cheeks, and I quickly glance away, pretending to study the breakfast spread instead. The breakfast snug table is laden with pancakes, yoghurt, fresh fruit, and eggs withtoast. He must have been cooking for at least an hour. The scent of butter and warm batter makes my stomach attempt a hopeful little flip. My mouth actually waters.
Lander gestures for me to sit, and I do, pouring a cup of tea while I watch him finish up. He moves with the ease of someone accustomed to doing everything himself. He brings over two plates and waves me off when I try to help. I have not been waited on in… well, forever.
He glances at my cup, nudges the milk jug closer, and quietly tops it up to the level he has decided is acceptable.
The man who threatened me and spent a year hunting me down now worries about whether my tea is made properly.
