Page 51 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal

He nodded, then grabbed a glass and a couple of bottles.

I watched him make his concoction.“We might have some options.”

He grunted.

“Jared is set on killing him, of course,” I continued.“He thinks that’s the only way to resolve this.I think it’s a good way to make more enemies.”I waited for a response.He gave none.“I thought of something else that might work.”I lowered my voice despite having the restaurant to ourselves now.“Astrid has been studying the treaty.The spell that created the Null is woven into it.”Garion’s gaze shot my direction.“She might be able to replicate it on a small scale.If she can, she could use it on the token.”

I let him think about that, about the risks and the possibilities.It was his life on the line, his choice to make.If he wanted to try it, I’d support him.If he didn’t want to?Then I would figure something else out.

Brows lowered, he finished making my drink in silence, then set it on the bar in front of me.“You mentioned this to Jared?”

“Christian’s talking to him now.”I needed to grab my phone from my living room.He might have already called with an update.

“I doubt it will work,” he said.

“It probably won’t.”I took a sip of my drink, a subtly sweet mix of berries, seltzer, and alcohol.“But there is a chance.”

I didn’t think he was going to go for it.Was it wrong that I felt slightly relieved when the only other option was to let Jared kill Canyon?What I wished I could do was to talk to Canyon, either make a new bargain or figure out why he wanted a djinn in the first place.And, assuming Garion wasn’t the only djinn living in secret, why Canyon wanted him specifically.

I frowned.Iespeciallywanted to learn the latter because Garion said his magic was cursed.Did Canyon not know that?

“Canyon knew who and what you are,” I said.“Would he know your magic is cursed?”

His brow furrowed.“He also knew where to find me.I would assume he’d know the consequences of using my token.”

“Are you sure you’re cursed?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe you were but you aren’t anymore?The Null could have… nulled it.”

He shook his head.“Sara and Derrick are dead because of it.”

“You said they wanted me to be free from The Rain.Since I’m not, maybe your magic just doesn’t work at all now.”

“I feel the imbalance.”

That didn’t make sense.“Here in the Null?”

“Felt.”He corrected himself.“When I picked you up at the morgue.Their wish hadn’t fully played out.You can’t break your bargain, and I know you couldn’t live with yourself if you fulfilled it.Astrid can try her spell.”

If it wasn’t for his tone, I might have felt relief.

“You think it will kill you.”

He shrugged.“Either that or do nothing.If it’s the latter, Canyon has to be killed.Or I do.”

“This isn’t going to end with you dead.”

“It will end with you alive, free, and safe.With youhappy.”

“I’m fine,” I insisted.

His brows lifted.

I rolled my eyes.“I am.”I wasn’t going to change Garion’s mind though, so I took another sip of my drink and let that issue drop.“Why would Canyon take a chance on cursed magic?He’s king of the night court.He has power and money and magic.What else does he want?”

“I don’t know,” Garion said.“The things people think they need and can’t get don’t always make logical sense.Those who have everything never realize they do.They don’t understand until after they gain something frivolous and lose something irreplaceable.”