Page 91 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal
“There’s something I have to do.”I stood, then walked to the bathroom to look for a hairbrush and a hair tie.The person who had moved my furniture had done a thorough job.My makeup and toiletries were put away and organized, and the closet…
My parents’ belongings were packed in moving boxes that were stacked three high against the right wall.That should have been my job, but when would I have found time for it?When would I have found the energy?
I looked back at Astrid.“You moved me in?”
“Me and Melissa,” she said.“With help from Joash and Thad.”
“Thanks.This…” I drew in a breath.“This helps.”
Astrid smiled.“It was Melissa’s idea.Thank her.”Her expression turned serious.“You shouldn’t leave The Rain.”
I turned back to the mirror and met the eyes of Astrid’s reflection.“I need you to get the coven prepped for tomorrow.Phedre, you and Thordis are in charge of The Rain’s security.”She started to say something.“She did nothing wrong.Don’t make her feel like shit for what happened.And Garion—”
“You aren’t leaving,” he fired at me.
I pressed my lips together.The three of them might physically prevent me from leaving.
This required a switch in tactics.
I faced the trio.“Garion, talk to Sullens.I assume I have more than a hundred emails from paranorms wanting to book rooms.We need to vet them.Ask him to schedule a time to meet.I’ll figure out if we’ll need more help than just the two of us.”
“So you’re not planning to leave?”Astrid sounded skeptical.
“Lehr’s on my shit list,” I said.“He’s not protecting me or The Rain, and I don’t want him to.I’m cutting him out of everything.I’m weakening him.He won’t like it.We need to be prepared.”
Phedre immediately pepped up.“We’ve totally got security covered.Thordis is forgiven.”She pivoted, headed toward the door, then threw over her shoulder, “We’ll get ready for war!”
“Um.”Astrid watched the Valkyrie disappear.“Maybe you should rethink your head of security?”
I let out a short but genuine laugh.“See how easy it was to get them to make up?”
“Brilliant,” she deadpanned.Then she perked up too.“I’ll talk to the coven.We’ve got this.”
She left, leaving me alone with Garion.
“Delegating,” he said.I couldn’t interpret his tone.Was he still suspicious?Was he worried?
“I’m getting better at it.”I faced the mirror again, then finger-combed my hair into a ponytail.
“I need your promise.”His reflection looked solemn.“If the spell doesn’t work, you give the fey my token.If he shows up between now and then, you give him the token.”
“That’s two promises,” I said.
“This burden isn’t yours to carry, Kennedy.You have enough on your shoulders.You will not risk yourself.Promise me.”
“This is going to work, but fine.I promise.”I reached for my toothbrush.“I want to change clothes.Meet me downstairs?”
His face was tombstone hard, but he nodded.“Five minutes.”
Five minutes and I’d bet he’d spent every second watching the stairs to make sure I didn’t slip out.
As soon as the main door clicked shut behind him, I went to the back of the closet, pressed my hand against a spot high up in the back corner, then entered The Rain’s secret corridors.
Five minutes later, I was turning out of The Rain’s parking lot.It wasn’t as discreet—or quiet—an exit as I’d wanted.My car’s hood and front bumper were caved in, courtesy of the brick wall I’d rammed.Someone had moved the car to a parking spot.It looked like they might have tried pounding out the worst of the damage, but it would take a lot more bodywork, and more money than the car was worth, to beat out its new soundtrack of squeaks and clanks.My insurance had skyrocketed after totaling my first car, thanks to Melissa and an extremely resilient tree.I had liability coverage only now and wouldn’t be able to fix or replace it unless my plans for The Rain worked out.By that time, the noise from the front end might compete with Blake’s truck in the cacophony category.
The moment I thought his name, my stomach flipped.He’d been exactly what I needed when I stood at the edge of the Null.I couldn’t have crossed the threshold without him.He’d been supportive and honest and, in a way, he’d been as vulnerable as me.His wolf had tried to take advantage of his worry and rage, had almost taken over until I’d reined in my panic.In the end, we’d kept each other balanced.
The warmth in my stomach changed into something stronger, needier.Blake hadn’t kissed me.I’d wanted him to, but I understood now why he hadn’t.My walls had been nonexistent.I’d had no protections against his magic, and there was so much between us still, so much we’d have to overcome.