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“The kind you’re not privy to.”

Des narrows his eyes.

“Go find something to do for an hour,” I say. “I know how to reach you.”

“Hmmm,” he says, assessing me. His eyes rise, taking in the glittering lights of Venice. It’s late here, but the city is still alive with music, voices, laughter. The place is under its own sort of spell. “I’m supposed to just … entertain myself in the meantime? Here?”Without you?He doesn’t say this last bit, but I hear it nonetheless. And it warms me to my toes.

“I’m sure this is not the first night you’ve found yourself with time to kill.”

He takes a lock of my hair and twists it around his finger. “Fine, Callie. I’ll find something to do—” he says this like he’s going to look for trouble, “—while I wait.”

I part my lips to respond, when Des disappears into thin air. The lock of hair he’d been twisting now flutters back down to my shoulder.

My heart pounds a little louder.

I’ve got an hour. Best make it count.

I know whatI want the moment my eyes land on it. I’m even surer once I run my fingers over it.

Right now I hold the great secret I’m trying to keep from Des—

His wedding band.

I angle the ring back and forth under the light of the jewelry shop. Tiny pieces of crushed mother of pearl catch the light. Their iridescent color isn’t as flashy as I’m used to; it looks closer to moonstone than anything else, but it isn’t the moon I want Des to be reminded of. It’s the sea.

My mate gave me a piece of his night sky. I’m giving him a piece of my ocean. The siren practically purrs at the thought.

I run my finger over the band again, my heart beating fast. I never thought I was the sentimental type, but here we are.

“I’ll take this one,” I tell the jeweler.

I buy the wedding band and leave the shop. I haven’t even taken ten steps when I stop and pull the ring out of the small velvet case it’s nestled in. I roll it between my fingers as I stare down at it.

There’s one last thing I want.

I’ve rarely tried to tap into Des’s magic, but then, I’ve had no reason to. Now I do.

I close my eyes and tug on the connection I share with the Bargainer. Down our bond I feel the pulse of his magic. I draw on it until I feel it slip through my veins. With a little push, I send it down my fingers and into the ring itself.

When I open my eyes, I catch sight of the engraved words Des’s magic bought me; they twist around the inside of ring.

Until darkness dies, be mine always.

A combination of his vow to me and mine to him.

God, I’m really owning this whole business of being sappy.

Before I can study my work in any more detail, a familiar presence is looming in front of me.

I glance up at the Bargainer, startled to see him.

“You weren’t supposed to come until I called,” I protest.

The question falls on deaf ears. The Bargainer’s eyes latch onto the wedding band, and he’s looking at it like he’s Gollum and I’m holding the One Ring to rule them all.

Aw, fuck.

This wasn’t supposed to happen quite this way.