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I offer my hand, and this monster takes it graciously, bringing it to his mouth and kissing it.

I do my best not to yank it away when his hot breath hits my skin. And when he releases my hand, the air is cool on the spot he kissed, where he left behind saliva. I discreetly wipe it on my clothing as we walk to the sitting area.

Xadrian and I take our seats on the sofa, while Prazin sits across from us in the arm chair.

“Now, darling, I didn’t want to tell you about this earlier because I didn’t want to upset you.” I turn my attention on Xadrian, wondering what he could be talking about. “Prazin is actually here for you.”

“For me? What for?”

“I have a spell for you, my dear. One your husband asked me to do.”

“What is it for?”

My skin gets all prickly and hot. My nerves are on edge. Xadrian is bringing magic into this? He always said he didn’t trust magic because he wasn’t in control of it. Anyone could use it against him…

“Just to ensure your safety if you ever go missing again, darling. It’s no big deal.”

A tracking spell? He’s going to put a tracking spell on me? I’ll never escape again if he does that. Not that escaping seemed like a possibility again, but knowing it’s a sure thing has me dizzy. I was lucky to get away the first time and I ruined it.

But if Felix shows up to save me…

If Rae does…

No, none of them are coming.

They would have been here by now.

Maybe it would take Felix longer to find me because he doesn’t know about this part of my life, but Rae does. Rae should have looked for me at the house when I didn’t answer the phone. If he found me missing, Xadrian is the first person he’d threaten.

So why isn’t he here? Obviously because he doesn’t want to be. If he loved me, cared about me at all, he’d be here trying to get me back.

So maybe staying here is the best plan.

At least Xadrian isn’t being mean. Maybe if he stays this way, continues to be nice and caring, I’ll learn to love him the way I loved Felix. When Xadrian is this way, he’s tolerable. If only I didn’t have so many awful memories of him… maybe I can ask this Prazin guy to erase them? Can he do that?

“It won’t hurt, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Prazin says with a chuckle.

I blink a few times, shaking out of my thoughts. I must have been frowning or something. That’ll earn me a lashing later, I’m sure.

Wait, no.

Xadrian hasn’t done that once since I’ve been here.

I turn to face my husband, and force a smile. I put my hand on his thigh. This is all I have left.

“I think it’s a great idea,” I tell him.

Those dark eyes of his light up, and he puts his hand on top of mine.

“Then let’s get started.”

Chapter Eighteen

Felix

Pacing along the rows of dead and decaying tree-like thingys, I flex my fingers at my sides and take in our surroundings.

Zia’s blood brought us this far but I’m losing the trail. And it’s so hot, I doubt I’ll be able to accurately pick it up again.