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“I tried burning his body.” He rubs his lower lip. “It was impervious to flame. I tried to vaporize his remains, but they resisted my magic.”

My eyes dip to that hole in the ground, trying not to get spooked by Des’s words.

“There are only three types of souls whose bodies can resist returning to the earth: those that are too powerful for it, those that are too pure for it, and those that are too corrupted for it.”

One guess which category Desmond Flynn’s father falls into.

“Eventually, I brought him here.” The Bargainer’s eyes return to the pit. “It killed me to give him even this—a hole in the ground. He deserved so much worse.”

From the stories I’ve heard—that Galleghar had slaughtered all his heirs in a bid to keep his throne—I can’t help but agree.

Des releases another breath and steps up to the edge of the hole. He kneels, studying its depths. Then, in one smooth motion, he lowers himself into the darkness.

Oh sweet Jesus, we’re going down there.

Of course we are.

Really don’t want to …

Maybe I can just linger topside …

“Don’t tell me you’ve developed a fear of the darkness now, cherub,” Des calls from below, his voice echoing.

Ugh.Fine.

I move up to the hole, sitting down at its edge and letting my feet dangle into it. I squint into the shaft, trying to gage how deep it is.

From the shadows, two hands wrap around my ankles, and with a swift jerk, I’m yanked into the darkness. Before I have a chance to shriek for dear life, Des catches me, and I’m sure he can feel the drum of my heart pounding against his chest.

“Oh my god,” I say, breathless, my skin brightening seconds too late, “whywould you do that?”

Des laughs into the darkness. “You aremuchtoo tempting to toy with …” his eyes drop to my lips, caught in the glow of my glamour, “and to resist.”

He leans in, but before he can kiss me, I press a hand to his mouth.

“Uh uh,” I chastise him, glamour in my voice. “You don’t get a kiss for that.”

At my words, he pulls away a little, his eyes bright. “WhatdoI get?” he says, the corner of his mouth curving into a mischievous grin.

A spanking, my siren whispers.Let’s make him give himself a spanking. He’s been a bad boy.

I almost laugh at the thought.

“You get the pleasure of avoiding my siren’s wrath. She wants you to spank yourself.”

The appropriate reaction is to be horrified at the thought. Too bad the Bargainer is decidedlyinappropriate.

His face fills with gleeful surprise. “Naughty thing,” he chastises. “And right here in my father’s grave too.” Now he does give me a quick kiss. “Maybe later I’ll appease your dirty thoughts.” In the dim light cast by my skin, I see him wink at me.

It’s enough to mollify my siren.

With that, Des releases me. “Watch your step,” he advises. “There’s a tricky staircase you’ll need to maneuver—on second thought, it’d probably be best if I carried you …”

Before I can say or do anything else, his magic curls like smoke low in my belly. I feel the tug of it drawing me close to him.

“This is repayment for the coffee, isn’t it?” I say as the magic courses through me.

That, or Des really likes stirring my siren into action. Because where a second ago she was settling back down, now she’s pressing against the underside of my skin, eager to take over completely.