Page 106 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“If he runs, I’ll catch him.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. Just remember that Karius has agreed to give him immunity, so you can’t hurt him.”

My mind plays back to the conversation we had when I agreed to bring them here. It took time, but I finally got Karius to agree not to punish Finn for any illegal activity he has been a part of. It was the only way I was going to agree to bringing them here. He was reluctant, but he finally agreed, and thanks to the newfound tug of the bond, I knew somehow that he was being honest. Even if he wasn’t happy about it.

I step up the small, familiar steps to the apothecary and tap against the door. It takes a few minutes before it swings open, and when Finn sees me and the two vampires standing behind me, he closes his eyes.

“Why are you always bringing trouble to my doo—”

I slam my fist into his face, cutting the last of his sentence off and sending him flying into his shop. I almost forgot about my new strength, but truthfully, I don’t care.

“What the fuck, Adina?” he says as he clutches his mouth and scrambles from the ground.

“That was for Tori,” I hiss, the memory of him leaving us alone that night still fresh in my mind.

He mumbles under his breath as he fumbles behind the counter, pulls out a cloth, and presses it to his bleeding mouth.

I know that if he had come too, he would likely have been another death on my conscience, but I cannot help wondering whether, had he come, he might have noticed something was off and been able to warn us. Maybe Tori would still be alive.

“I thought you said that we couldn’t hurt him?” Kaia says, and I swear I hear amusement in her voice.

“I saidyoucouldn’t. I didn’t say a thing about me.”

She laughs, and I’m pretty sure it’s the first time I’ve ever heard her do that.

“The gods choosing you for Karius is starting to make a lot more sense to me.”

“Great, and she brought members of the royal guard to my door, of course, she did. Why wouldn’t she?” Finn walks around the apothecary, throwing his hands up in the air and talking to himself.

“He’s the one you say can make a cure for this thing?” Kaia looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.

A flash of the black veins trailing up Willow’s stomach comes to mind. “He can do it.”

Finn turns his attention to me.

“This,” he says, pointing to the cut on his lip, “is gonna’ swell, you know.”

“I’m sure a drop of your little concoction will heal it right up.”

His eyes widen as if I have just committed the worst crime in the world. My eyes flash to Kaia and Ajax, who are both watching him, one in disgust and the other with pure amusement.

“They already know all about your little operation, Finn.”

He looks between the two of them and then back at me.

“Are you insane? Are you trying to get me fucking killed?”

“Watch it, Curls,” Ajax warns as Finn takes a step in my direction.

“I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t desperate.”

He laughs incredulously. “Yeah, that’s what you said when you showed up here a year ago, and look how that turned out.”

“We don’t have time for this,” Kaia interrupts, clearly done with Finn’s bullshit. “We have a problem, and I’m told that you can fix it; it’s the only reason you’re still alive right now. So, either prove to me that you’re as useless as I already think you are or shut the hell up and make yourself useful.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's calm things down a little,” he says, holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m much more of an optiontwo kind of guy, by the way. So, a little less on the threats and just tell me what you need.”

“The stuff that you’ve been making for me, do you think that you can make an even stronger version? One that doesn’t run out?”