Page 48 of A Moth to the Flame (Utopia #1)

Stop saying that. You’re smart Duke, and we’ve got one shot at this. Stop whining like a little baby and help me, help us.

Fuck. Fine. Let me think.

Wallace’s face twists with heavy suspicion. “Is this the equivalent of modern schoolchildren passing notes in class?”

Cordie snaps a wide-eyed gaze to him. “What do you mean?”

“I get the distinct impression you’re engaging in a silent conversation,” he says.

We exchange a nervous glance.

“A favor for a favor,” Cordie blurts.

The fuck? You wouldn’t let me do that! How did you even figure out the magic words ?

I guessed, based on what you started to say. This knowledge is worth a price.

Wallace jerks. He frowns deeply. “What do you request of me?” He sounds pissed about getting trapped again.

Cordie bites my lip while she works out what to ask.

“My question is twofold, and your answer must be direct. You cannot twist the truth,” she says carefully.

“Could you hear the silent conversation that Duke and I were having? Is any other magical being capable of hearing our silent conversations?”

Ah, fuck. That is important information. Neither of us knows who to trust, but we can at least talk to each other in ways they’ll never know about. Unless all the magic people in our damn town can eavesdrop.

Wallace answers, “We have an accord. No. I could not hear your silent conversation. I am unaware of any magical being that would be able to do so.”

Cordie nods.

Wallace’s body goes slack, then he rolls his neck. “I detest that feeling. It never gets easier to bear.”

I glance at Cordie.

The magic words trap him , she explains. Trickster bargainers. Remember that. They’re very powerful, but they can be controlled with the right words. At least, I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.

She’s leaving off an important part of the deal. There’s always a price to pay.

“I’ll pay the price,” I tell him.

I still don’t know how expensive his bargains are. He already told me neither of us could afford the cost. He can put it on my tab.

“You cannot.” Wallace rolls his neck one last time.

“Once a bargain of that nature is struck, the magic takes on a life of its own. No being is powerful enough to break those ancient rules. When I call upon you to return the favor you owe, you will be similarly compelled to perform whatever I ask of you.”

Goddammit, Cordie. He owns both our asses now.

She shrugs. He didn’t specify what kind of favor it would be. Maybe it’ll be something easy like a midnight ice cream run to Clarksburg .

That’s a big gamble with a guy we’re not supposed to trust.

“As you can imagine,” Wallace grits out through clenched teeth. “Were that bargaining tool to fall into the wrong hands, absolute chaos would ensue. Please. I beg of you, do not share your knowledge with anyone outside of this room.”

Duke, do you realize what this means?

We’re both fucked?

No. Wallace basically just told us that no one else in town knows about the favor system. Not even the witches.

I don’t think that’s true. As soon as I said the magic words, Neveah and Cornelius both tried to stop me. I’m betting most of the townsfolk don’t know about it, though. Otherwise, Utopia would be full of lotto winners.

Cordie grins at him. “We’ll agree to that exact promise. On one condition.”

Shut up! What are you doing?

Trust me.

Wallace sighs. “What is your price?”

Her grin grows wider. My face looks downright scary with that clown’s smile. “Bargain with us nicely. In the proper way.”

Fuck.

I brace for a bat-man temper tantrum, but Wallace returns Cordie’s loony smile.

“You’re learning quickly, my dear.” He nods. “So be it.”

Cordie squeezes my hand.

“A favor for a favor,” Wallace murmurs.

A jolt of lightning bolts through Cordie’s body. Our joined hands burn like something’s lighting the both of us on fucking fire. I snap to attention and stare at Wallace like I can’t do anything else.

And then her tongue starts to move.

“What do you request of us?”

Shit. We both said that at the same time. Who owes who a favor now? How is this working on both of us?

Wallace pops his eyebrows like he’s impressed with our new trick. “You will never tell a living being about how to entrap me into a favor bargain. You will never share this fae secret with anyone, ever. Swear to it.”

I talk without thinking. So does Cordie. “We have an accord. We swear to never share with any living being the secret of how to entrap a fae with a favor bargain.”

Whatever sick magic controlled us disappears.

Wallace was right. That sucks. I feel like I’m going to blow chunks. I glance at Cordie to find my face looking a little green around the edges.

“Why did that trap both of us?”

Cordie grins at me. “Because I set up the bargain that way. I said us . You’re of his kind, but our minds aren’t in the right bodies. Now he owes both of us a favor. We basically have clean slates again.”

“You are a very clever witch,” Wallace agrees, and he strides forward.

He reaches for both of us, so I bat his grabby hands away.

He’s not touching Cordie. Not on my watch.

“We really must return now,” he murmurs. “Events have been moving swiftly since I brought you here.”

I want to know more about that, but Cordie pipes up, “I still get one question.”

“Make it quick,” Wallace says.

Ask if the one-way-street mates thing is true.

“Who is the status of our relationship important to?” Cordie asks instead.

Why is that the most important question?

She cuts a side-eye at me. Because for him to be so weirdly invested in us growing closer, for someone to have gone to a lot of trouble in the past to keep us apart, then our relationship must matter to more than just us.

That’s a valid point. If hate wasn’t in our way, then there’s no reason I wouldn’t have put a ring on this woman’s finger and fucked her until we had at least one squealing baby by now.

Wallace clears his throat. “Shall I answer, or would you prefer to continue your meeting of the minds?”

“How do you know that’s what we’re doing?” I grit out. My patience is paper-thin at this point .

“I’ve heard stories of mates who are able to communicate telepathically,” he answers easily enough. “As to your other question—I believe that your bond has the power to free us all.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to?—”

Duke, we need a plan. Fast.

I don’t have time to respond before Wallace grabs ahold of us.

Then everything goes dark.