Page 28

CHAPTER 28

Innes paced her room, thoughts a chaotic whirlwind.

Why the hell had Remi told the warriors they were twinsouls?

What could they possibly hope to gain if people knew about them?

Especially when Remi didn’t even know what she was announcing.

She took a shaky breath and exhaled longer and louder than strictly necessary, but even this didn’t take the edge off.

Remi sat on the chair in her sitting room, resting her face on one hand as she watched Innes pace.

They’d walked back to her rooms in tense silence, Innes unable to bring herself to speak for fear of shouting.

‘Care to tell me why you’re pissed?

’ Remi asked, her voice flat.

‘Are you serious?’

Remi placed her hand on the table and pursed her lips.

‘Yes.’

Innes rubbed her face.

So they were going to do this.

Fine.

‘You told everyone.’

‘Yes.’

‘ Why? ’

Remi’s eyebrows rose and she cocked her head to one side in confusion.

‘Because they’re my family.

I tell them everything.

’

‘You didn’t ask!

’ Innes threw her hands up then slouched over to the couch, leaning her head against the headrest so she could stare at the ceiling.

‘We haven’t even discussed what being twinsouls means to us, and then you go and tell other people our business?

’ She closed her eyes, white specks dancing over the blackness as she fought to control her breathing.

‘We barely know each other, Remi.’

‘I didn’t mean it like that,’ Remi said quietly, but the anger pulsing in Innes’ chest didn’t bank.

‘Intentions don’t really matter when it comes to this, do they?

’

‘What does that mean?’

She opened her eyes to find Remi staring at her, one foot hooked up on the chair, her expression open and inquisitive.

Innes’ heartbeat sped up; she couldn’t honestly answer the question without offering something in return.

Briony would do it.

Briony, who had always followed her heart and never baulked at making a hard decision.

Briony, who had announced her pregnancy with a feline grin and the explanation that the Ever had told her it was time to become a mother.

Her cousin’s fearlessness was one of the many things she loved about her.

It was also one of the things she envied.

Sure, Innes might cross the border to help expectant mothers, she might even have an ex whose existence raised eyebrows, but when it came to her heart and her family, she was a closed book, unwilling to risk hurt when she’d already endured so much.

Her mother had met her Ending at the hands of the Seacht, her aunt had died helping a coven of witchlings cross the border, and her human father had perished from an illness.

She was used to the small, close-knit family that she, Briony and Tabby had created.

Extending this to include another person was terrifying – not to mention the boisterous chaos which accompanied the warriors.

Remi’s words ricocheted in her head, Because they’re my family.

I tell them everything.

Regardless of what their future entailed, could Innes fault Remi for doing exactly what she would have done if their roles were reversed?

This was it.

Her opportunity to tell Remi who she really was.

Her vision narrowed until all she could see was the warrior in front of her.

‘I’m a witch.

’

The words echoed in the room, reverberating until it was all Innes could hear.

Witch, witch, witch.

She thought she might throw up.

Oh, gods, what had she done, why hadn’t she just left in the middle of the night?

Why hadn’t she—

‘I know.’

The noise in her head came to a screeching halt.

‘I’ve known you’re a witch since you got here,’ Remi said.

Innes didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh or scream.

‘How?’ she asked, trying to figure out what had given her away, because if Remi had discovered her secret then other people might have—

‘Queen Una told us. Said anyone who didn’t feel comfortable guarding you was excused from duty.

’

She didn’t know why this felt like a betrayal.

Rage boiled inside, and her Ever swelled in agony, wanting an escape.

‘Why didn’t you say anything?

’

‘Why didn’t I say anything?

Shit, Innes, I was waiting for you to tell me.

’

Innes took a breath, forcing herself to remain calm when all she wanted to do was cry.

‘I have a target over my head, Remi, and there is a very real possibility the Seacht will one day kill me. You can’t go telling people about us or you run the risk of being killed because you’re associated with me.

’

‘You think I’m not aware of the risk?

’ Remi’s voice was low and it made Innes straighten her shoulders.

‘I lost my brother because he was Ever Blessed. I know what the risks are for loving someone who is hunted by the Seacht.’

‘So why the hell did you tell Kella when we’re not even sure what will happen?

’ she asked, throwing her hands in the air.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You’re a Vettonian Warrior.

You’re a legend made flesh.

I live in Telorne – are you seriously going to give up being a warrior?

Because I can’t just move here.

’

Remi opened her mouth, then closed it.

‘There can be nothing between us. This,’ Innes said, gesturing between them, ‘can’t happen.

Which is why telling people is a bad idea.

’

‘But this is already happening!’ Remi shot to her feet and stalked over.

She planted her hands on her hips and stared at Innes.

‘You think if we choose not to accept the bond, life’s going to go back to normal?

We’re going to have to deal with the outcome of this either way, and I choose to include my support system.

They’ll notice my depressed ass if we walk away from this.

’

‘Depressed is better than dead.’

Remi’s eyes narrowed.

‘You think I don’t live in fear of the Ending every day as a warrior?

’ She barked a short, humourless laugh and shook her head.

‘I am just as scared as you are, Innes. Do I think I can survive the Seacht taking another person I love? No. But I also can’t deny what I feel for you.

’

Innes’ breath caught and her gaze snapped to the warrior’s, vision tunnelling until all she could focus on was the warm depths of Remi’s brown eyes.

She swore she could feel every hair on her body stand at attention, and the inky dots on her arms vibrated with anticipation.

Remi bent until her face was inches from Innes’ own, her warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

Her chest rose in short pants, and a wicked smile curved Remi’s lips as the warrior leaned in.

The world faded as their lips met.

At their touch, everything Innes thought she knew to be true vanished, and her entire being was replaced with Remi.

Soft lips caressed her own, and a flick of Remi’s tongue ran along her bottom lip, teasing.

Innes suppressed a groan and opened her mouth, unable to think of anything other than the woman before her.

Remi, Remi, Remi.

The warrior pulled away as a flush bloomed on her cheeks.

‘Whatever we choose to do is a big deal, Innes, and I don’t want to ignore either option before us.

But I will not be forced to move through this without the support of my family, okay?

’

Innes swallowed, forcing her thoughts to get back in line.

Remi smiled and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

‘What are you thinking, Innes?’

‘The full moon is in two nights,’ she said, her voice catching as she tried to reorient herself.

‘Why is that important?’ Remi asked.

‘That’s my timeline.

I’m staying until the full moon, and then I leave for Telorne.

’

Fine lines wrinkled Remi’s brow at the news, but the warrior merely nodded, pushing herself to stand straight, as if ready for battle.

But then she ran her tongue over her lips, and smirked.

‘Then we’d better make the most of it.

’