Page 103 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal

There was something intentional in the way he asked that question.It felt like he was leading me somewhere.Or circling around something.

“What do you mean?”

His grin was too mischievous, his eyes too intelligent.“Would you like me to go into detail?”

Heknewsomething.Was it about the token?The spell?

Was it about Blake?

“Let’s talk tomorrow,” I said, facing forward again and trying my damnedest not to give anything away.

“I might be busy tomorrow.”He lounged back against his seat, and his gaze dipped downward.

“I’m open the day after too,” I said.What was he looking at?It was just below my view in the mirror.

“I’m king of the night court,” he said.“My schedule is sadly very full.We’ll settle this now.”

My curiosity wouldn’t let me ignore him.I looked over my shoulder to see what he was doing—spinning a black, palm-sized token between thumb and forefinger.

My breath stabbed between my ribs.It took everything in me to keep my hand away from my left pocket.It felt like Garion’s token was still there, still a secret.But Canyon had somehow magicked his way into my car.He’d magicked my hood into better-than-new condition.He could probably magic the token from my pocket.

“This”—he tossed the object into the air and caught it—“is how you get your life back.”

I lifted an eyebrow.“With a rock.”

“Catch.”

I twisted when he tossed it again, but he wasn’t throwing it to me.Melissa plucked it from the air.

The tension running through my body escalated.Garion was the only other person I’d let touch the token, not because I didn’t trust anyone else, not exactly, but because I didn’t want to dangle that kind of temptation in front of them.

Thankfully, Melissa was smart.She hadn’t seen the token, probably didn’t know for sure if the thing she held was it or not, but she analyzed it, turning it over in her hand, scratching at it with a fingernail.

While Canyon scrutinized her reaction, I let my hand fall to my side.And released a breath.The token was still in my pocket.

“It’s fake,” Canyon said offhandedly.His focus shifted back to me.“I think you know where to locate the real one.”

I frowned.“A real one what?What is it?”Yeah.I was playing dumb.I would for the next freaking hour.

Canyon sighed.“I know you have your memory back.I can see it glowing right where it belongs.”

“Stop looking at my brain.”

“I’m looking at my magic.The thing I don’t understand is why you haven’t given the token to me yet.”

“What token?”Melissa demanded.I wanted to high-five her for playing the dumb game with me.

“I could declare you in default right now,” he continued.“You’d lose your freedom, and I’d still get what I want.Shall I do that?”

Menace rolled off Melissa in waves.I recognized it, but her power was nothing compared to Arcuro’s or Jared’s.

“The vampire knows you have the memory back,” Canyon said.“Finding the token triggered its return.You have ten seconds to tell me the truth.”

“Kennedy,” Melissa said, a warning sharpening my name.She wanted to kill.I didn’t think she had a chance against a fey king.

I shook my head, partly to tell her to stand down and partly because the ruse was up.

My shoulders slumped.“Why do you want it?It will do more harm than good.”