Page 73

There was a familiar tightening low in my abdomen, a wave starting to crest. “I’m so close—” I gasped, seeking Quinn’s gaze again in the shadows. “I’m going to⁠—”

“Come,” he mouthed, and it was as if my body had been waiting for his command.

Blinding pleasure crashed over me, stealing my breath and buckling my knees. Lucian held me tight, murmuring words against my neck, while Bellamy’s touch gentled as he continued to work me through the aftershocks. When I could actually see clearly again, I looked for Quinn, but he was gone.

“You okay?” Bellamy rose to his feet and pulled me into his arms. He nuzzled at my temple before kissing my lips, letting me taste myself on him.

“More than okay.” In fact, I felt weightless and liable to float away. “Luce, are you⁠—?”

“Yeah.” He sounded rough, and he stepped back, putting just enough space between us that I shivered at the loss of his heat. I realized his predicament as he adjusted himself with a grimace that was half lust, half pain. “We should get back before Ric sends a search party.”

I hummed with agreement, though I suspected he already had, and it was Quinn. But it didn’t feel right to go back yet. “What about…” My gaze flicked between him and Bellamy as I offered a vague gesture. “That can’t be comfortable.”

Lucian gave me a toothy grin, and Bel chuckled. “This was for you,” he said. When I opened my mouth to argue about how unfair that seemed, he stole my words with a kiss. “Besides,” he murmured, breath warm and sweet. “A queen doesn’t belong on her knees.”

47

RAMI

I watched Bellamy and Lucian lead Cordelia away, a possessive heat flaring in my chest. My eyes still hadn’t had their fill of her tight body wrapped in that dress made of sin and starlight. But my role in this moment was not to comfort or distract her. It was to protect. Alaric and I had business to conduct.

“They’ll take care of her,” Ric murmured beside me, his own eyes tracking their retreat through the crowd. We both knew what kind of care they planned to give our Heart. “Let’s go.”

I adjusted the cuffs of my suit with agitated fingers as I nodded. I hated the restriction of formal clothes, but the way Cordelia’s eyes flared with heat when she looked at me made me consider wearing suits all the time. We slipped through the gallery’s mingling patrons and down an empty hall until we reached a door labeled Employees Only. Alaric knocked three times, then twice more after a pause.

The door opened inward, revealing a comfortable breakroom. There were two short couches on either side of a low table spread with magazines. On the other side of the room was a long dining table where a single woman sat behind an open laptop. We entered the room, and she flicked her wrist, the door closing behind us before the lock engaged.

Witch.

She couldn’t be much older than Cordelia, her dark face glowing in the light of the computer screen. Her hair was plaited into tiny braids and gathered into a neat pile on top of her head. When she looked up at us, her eyes were luminous.

“Gentlemen,” she greeted in a smooth voice. I stood a little taller and crossed my arms over my chest, a silent reminder that we were here for business.

Alaric gave me a subtle shake of the head before stepping forward. “Tia. Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice.”

She shrugged and invited us to sit. “When the heir to the Kratos Legacy asks you to jump, the only wise response is ‘how high’.” Her eyes shifted between us, assessing as we took our seats. Normally, Alaric would brush off such a comment. True, he had been named as Alpha Hassan’s heir when he was claimed by his bloodline, but without a Heart, that future had all but faded.

The witch, Tia, gave us a knowing smirk. It put me on edge.

“It would also be wise to guarantee the secrecy of this meeting,” I growled, leaning forward.

Alaric’s hand found my forearm, gripping hard. “What my driftmate means to say is that this matter is rather sensitive. It would be best for everyone to ensure our conversation never leaves this room.”

Tia leaned back in her chair and tilted her head. “You want a binding oath? That’ll cost you extra.”

“We’ll pay double.” Alaric didn’t flinch.

I watched as the intrigue grew in her expression. It wasn’t just about the fee now. She was curious.

“Alright.” One of her sleek eyebrows lifted. “Cash. Up front.”

Ric reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a thick envelope. He was prepared for this outcome. He showed her the stack of bills it contained and set it on the table. His hand didn’t move. “Your turn.”

With an elegant move, Tia reached up and plucked a sharp pin from her coiled braids. She positioned it over her fingertip and gave Ric an expectant look. “Well? You know how this works.”

I waited for the moment this all started to feel wrong, but my instincts remained calm. I traded a look with Alaric before he took his hand from the envelope and stretched it palm-up toward the witch. With a satisfied nod, she stabbed the pin into the pad of her finger. Blood welled in a crimson drop.

“I swear by the blood that this discussion and any actions that result from it will remain within this circle of three.” As she spoke, she drew a rune on Alaric’s palm with her bloodied finger. The symbol glowed against his skin for a moment before it faded and left no trace but the magic humming in the air around us. Tia pressed a tissue to her fingertip while Alaric slid the envelope of cash closer to her.