Page 134 of A Taste of Bliss

He lets Pisces go and the siren falls to the ground, almost like the song wraith leeched the energy out of him. When the wraith turns around he’s met by guns in his face. Grim, Pinkie, Bell, and Stormy all have their guns aimed at his head.

The wraith clicks his tongue. “Those won’t do any good, I’m afraid.”

“These aren’t just any guns,” Pinkie spits.

The wraith makes a noncommittal noise and lifts one shoulder, then lets it drop. “Either way. Let me leave and I will cause no harm to any of you. Get in my way and you won’t like what will happen.”

Grim cocks his gun, readying to shoot. “I think there’s no way we let you just walk out of here.”

“So be it, then.”

Before any of them can get a shot off, they all simultaneously drop their guns in pain, as if the metal is scorching hot. With a wave of the wraith’s hand, they all go slamming backwards into the walls of the house and the wraith simply dematerializes back into the nothingness out of which he came.

I don’t know who to run to, Grim or Pisces. Amelia makes the decision for me, running to Grim and checking him out first. I go to Pisces and try to help him up, but he pushes me away.

“We’re gonna need another healer,” I hear Amelia say as she helps Bell to her feet, a large gash in her head.

Grim nods but not to Amelia. He nods at Pinkie, and they both step forward.

“Bliss Rassard, Pisces Penrose, you’re both under arrest by the authority of the fae council and elders.”

The shackles are slapped on before Amelia can finish her string of curses.

“What for?” she yells at Grim. “They were both attacked! Are you stupid?”

“They’ve both been working with a wraith. That’s a felony, Amelia.”

I lock eyes with Pisces, mine wide and afraid. We’ve both been working with a wraith, the same wraith, and had no idea? What was he playing at?

Pisces’ eyes aren’t shocked, though, they aren’t afraid. He’s pissed and glaring at me.

“Pisces—” I try to say, wanting to explain, but he cuts me off.

“You knew we were mates and didn’t tell me. I want nothing to do with you, Bliss. Ever. Don’t fucking talk to me again.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

BLISS

The interrogation roomisn’t like the human ones on TV. It’s not cold and sterile, like a doctor’s office, but ornate and plush, exactly what I’d expect from the fae council.

“Why was the wraith collecting Pisces Penrose’s tears?” Grim asks, seated in the matching plush armchair, opposite me. There’s a fire in the hearth, and the room has a nice warm glow from the flames.

I’m in shackles, of course. Unable to use my powers, which isn’t really different for me. At most, the iron metal is cold, hard, and a bit uncomfortable. I need to itch my nose, but the shackles are heavy, and the last time I tried to scratch an itch on my face, I almost hit myself with the chains.

“I already told you, I don’t know.” That’s what I’ve told Grim for most questions he’s asked. It’s not totally that I’m trying to be obstinate. I can’t stop going over Pisces’ words in the my head, replaying them in a never-ending loop.

He saw a rune in my eye?

How is that even possible?

And regardless of that…

Why, then, did I not see one in his?

It’s hard to focus on what Grim is asking, when I can’t even process the last twenty-four hours.

Grim lets out a sigh, shaking his head. “Bliss, you’ve got to give me something.”