“Help me,” I began. “Or rather, my brother. Something bad is going to happen to him unless I find him and save himfrom… some bad people.” He wouldn’t believe I wasn’t part of the apostai. I wouldn’t either—not with the brand on my foot marking me as one of them.
“Some bad people,” he repeated flatly.
“I need your word that you will do everything in your power to help me find him.” My eyes stung from the devastating pressure of the situation. I would get on my knees if I had to. “Please. If you promise to help find him, I’ll go with you willingly. I swear it.”
I knew he had no reason to listen. Had no obligation to help me, a silly woman tangled up in plots she didn’t understand. He was a guardian with a duty to his own people and could do whatever he wanted?—
“Fine.”
I blinked at him in surprise.
“As soon as Gregorios meets with you and is content with what he seeks, I will bring you back here myself and help you find your brother.”
Depending on how long that took, the pit in my stomach told me it very well could be too late by the time we returned. “No. We find him now, andthenwe meet with your seer.”
“You do realize you are in no position to negotiate here.”
I wasn’t a complete moron and couldn’t risk the opportunity at hand. He might be indulging me. “I’ll need to notify my grandparents. They could be in danger as well.”
“I will personally ensure a letter gets delivered to them.”
“Not later, now.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Word will be sent once we arrive. We have couriers capable of sending messages rapidly. Time is not on our side.”
“I don’t care about whatever time constraints you’re under! I’m an actual person here, with a family and a life you’re socasually trying to take me from. What if the situation were reversed, and I abducted you?”
A deep, throaty laugh escaped him. “I’d love to see the day.”
“Is there no one in your life you would need to speak to? No one to make sure gets looked after should something happen to you?”
“I’m a guardian, so no.”
I reeled back. “That… sounds rather sad, actually. And lonely.”
Something in his eyes flashed. “Spare me your pity. I assure you, my life is far from lonely, not that I need to justify anything to you.”
I arched a brow, sensing the opposite to be true. That wasn’t my problem. My present conundrum was convincing this guardian to do something that clearly wasn’t on his agenda this evening.
“Look, if anything happens to my family because of me, I will never forgive myself. And that might not mean anything to you, but it’s everything to me. My grandparents would be able to move on without me, and I accept that, but Basil is her—their world.” Emotion clogged my throat. “Let me at least warn them that danger is coming. If anything happens to them, their blood will be not just on my hands, but yours as well.”
The man pressed his lips together, shaking his head once. “Once I get you to Scorpio, I will personally return to your apothecary and warn your family myself. That is my final offer.”
It was my turn to eye him suspiciously. “How do I know you’ll keep your word?”
“You don’t.”
“Then swear on the life of someone you love.”
“Have you forgotten what I just said? Love is forbidden for Chosens.”
I extended my hand out to him. “Shake on it.” With a sigh, he wrapped his around mine and squeezed. “I’d like to believe you will truly honor this agreement. But if you don’t,” I warned, to his amusement it seemed, “I will find a way to rip you apart with my bare hands.” I squeezed harder, or as hard as I could. It hardly phased him.
He pulled himself from the exchange with a smirk. “That would be the day.”
“Apothecary,” I murmured, his earlier words registering. “How do you know that’s where I live?”
The guardian peered at me with his freckled, angular face. To think I’d thought him to be the most attractive man in the room. Regrettably, I still did—only now our predicament tainted that notion entirely.
