“Not close enough.” Kane kicked a table leg. The wood groaned in protest.
They were running out of time. The wards on the door were only halfway unraveled. Haru would be anointed soon, and they needed to be off the island when she was.
A scowl pulled at the corner of Afton’s lips, equally as frustrated with their predicament. What profoundly poor luck. This was supposed to be easy. All he had to do was get Erinna home safely and tell no one about Kenneth’s desperate favor.
It sounded simple. Straightforward. Perfect.
He should have known better. Mistakes like these could mean death. Or worse, failure.
Three violent knocks on the door sent them both to their feet. Kane had given strict orders that they were not to be disturbed. He instinctively raised his palm, ready to throw a roiling ball of flame at the intruder.
The banging continued. “I know you’re in there, Kane!” Erinna’s muffled voice filtered through.
Kane’s jaw ticked in frustration.
Three more strikes. She was relentless. “I need to speak with you.”
He gestured for Afton to hide anything incriminating. The last thing they needed was to give her any leverage against them. Because she would most assuredly use it.
Erinna’s fist was still raised, ready for another bout of knocking, when Kane finally opened the door. Locks of hair hung around her face, frizzed and free from her braid. The marks of labor and fatigue were clear, but something in those storm-gray eyes caught his attention.
She figured it out. The witchstone.
The prospect of a shiny new tool on his ship dulled his growing ire, and if her plan worked, then he could shirk off some of his previous deal’s bindings. Kane could give her some of the answers she craved while his ship got an upgrade in return.
He pressed his hand against the small of her back and ushered her inside.
Erinna took a few steps before turning to face him. “I need you.”
Kane nearly choked on his own breath. A wicked grin parted his lips as he saw color flush Erinna’s cheeks, realizing what she’d said. What it could insinuate.
“Grow up, Atwater,” she huffed, but her eyes looked away, unable to meet his stare. Kane wanted to laugh. Wanted to tease her more. To see the flush in her cheeks and that spark in her eyes that came to life when she wasn’t so fixated on responsibilities. He cleared his throat and pushed the thoughts away.
Erinna made a show of turning to who was busy ushering papers into an unruly pile. Anything to keep from looking at Kane.
He stepped closer and leaned down, brushing his lips by her ear. “How much do you need me, Erinna?” He couldn’t help it.
She groaned, sending him a rather crude gesture before something caught her attention and a strangled laugh escaped her throat.
“You must be joking.”
Both men snapped their focus as Erinna neared hysterics.
“He asked you for books?!” The pitch of her voice rose. Erinna looked from Kane to Afton incredulously. “So you can’t tell me what he asked for because you’re stuck in an ill-thought-out magical deal.” She jabbed her finger into Kane’s chest and turned to Afton. “And you’re useless because you can’t read our shorthand.”
If it were any other person, Kane didn’t think he would tolerate such disrespect.
Erinna stepped closer, attention returning to the paper. On instinct, Kane reached out to guard the documents, and the secrets they contained. His fingers barely brushed her arm, but it was enough to spark her fire.
“What? Is that magically sealed against me as well? Do you want my help or not?”
After a long, tense moment, Kane nodded at Afton, lips pressed into a tight line. An absolute fool he’d been to deal with this family.
“Change of plans,” said Kane as he dragged a rickety chair over to the table. “Tonight, we work out the index and discuss strategy.”
“You’re bringing her into this?” Afton interrupted with a pointed look at Erinna.
“You have a problem?” Erinna shot back.
