“Give me your hand.”
I freeze for a moment, not processing, then I feel like a fool for remembering the deep cut Maethrel left in my palm. I hold it out to him slowly, hesitantly.
He takes my hand, flips it palm up and rests it on his knee. Heat creeps up my neck and into my cheeks as he wraps it with speed and ease. It’s not incredibly gentle, but I wouldn’t expect that from him anyway. “There.”
“Thank you…”
He gives a curt nod, avoiding my gaze, then I watch him retreat to the other side of the table, standing with his arms crossed once more.
“So,” Maethrel says with mischief in his eyes as he holds up the flask filled with his very valuable witch blood. “Who gets to safekeep it?”
We all glance at each other, silent.
Way to throw a firebomb into our very new, hesitant alliance, Maethrel.
Or whatever this thing is. Reluctant enemies accidentally finding themselves on the same path.
Raef clears his throat. “I’ll hold it.”
I whip my head to my right. “No. I will.”
He raises his eyebrows.
“I’m the one who got us here. You would be completely in the dark still if it weren’t for me.”
“We used our impeccable intuition, knew you were up to something, eavesdropped to get information, then followed you here. It wasn’t like it was an invitation,” Raef says. “And you never would have gotten that blood if it weren’t for us.”
“I’ve been chasing this since I was fourteen,” I retort, getting angry. “How do I know you guys won’t take that blood and leave me behind here and now? You got what you wanted from me.”
Daegan cuts in, stepping closer to me with his arms crossed and his jaw tight. “Who are you working with?”
“What?”
“You’re not doing this alone…”
“Yes I am.” It sounds pathetic coming out. I didn’t mean to sound so vulnerable, but I’m breaking under his intensity.
He eyes me suspiciously.
“How do we know you’re even trying to break the curse? Maybe Daddy put you up to this, and you’re tracking the items down so they can be destroyed, leaving the curse in place for eternity.”
I pull my head back in shock. “I would never…”
“What’s in it for you?” he asks. It seems we’re the only two in the room with the heated exchange.
I shake my head, averting my gaze. “Nothing.”
He doesn’t respond. For a few moments, the only sound in the room is the crackling of the fire again.
“It goes to her,” Maethrel says, offering the glass to me.
I reach for it slowly. It’s not a victory I want to rub in their faces, but I don’t argue.
I can feel Daegan’s disapproval, see it out of the corner of my eye.
I tuck it into the inner pocket of my cloak.
“Is there anything else you can enlighten us with today?” Raef finally speaks. “We should definitely be going soon, before the night catches us.”
