Page 72 of Death Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Eve’s eyes narrowed. “So we still have to find the relic.”

Nishi’s voice was clipped. “And whoever is cloaking it.”

Tegan’s expression turned grim. “If the relic is calling everything vulnerable, it makes sense the egg is being affected.”

Cal’s gaze slid to Tegan. “You mean it can hear the call?”

Tegan nodded once. “Yes.”

Cal’s jaw clenched. “Then it will not stop unless we stop the source.”

I stared at the egg, feeling its pulse under my palms, feeling the cold pressure trying to spread again every time my focus slipped.

My instincts screamed to cut the connection with Cal, to shove that unwanted intimacy back into whatever box it crawled out of.

I could not.

Not if I wanted the baby to live.

I breathed in slowly, then out, grounding myself in the simple reality.

“This is what’s happening,” I said, voice steadier now. “I’m bound to the egg. If I break it, the shell will start locking again. I need to maintain the connection until the baby hatches, or until we stop the call so the egg can stabilize on its own.”

Faith’s eyes narrowed. “How long until it hatches?”

Cal’s expression tightened. “Sooner than it was supposed to. Stress speeds things up.”

Of course it did.

Everything tonight was speeding up.

Eve looked at me, her expression softer than it had been in hours. “Can you handle being bound?”

I wanted to say yes. Clean and confident.

Instead, honesty won. “I can handle the magic. I’m not thrilled about the rest.”

Faith’s brows lifted. “The rest.”

I did not look at Cal. I focused on the egg and the slow lightening at the edge of the dark patch.

“The bond is… loud,” I said.

Greyson’s gaze focused, then flicked to Cal, then back to me. He looked like he understood more than I wanted him to.

Faith muttered, “Oh for the love of…”

Cal’s voice was quiet. “I’m sorry.”

That made it worse.

Because it sounded sincere.

And the absurd urge to kiss him surged again, as if my body was taking votes without my permission.

I tightened my grip on the egg, as if holding the shell could keep my mouth under control.

Nishi stepped back, already pulling out her phone. “I am updating Aurora. If the egg is being targeted indirectly, Scorchwood needs stronger perimeter wards.”