Page 8 of Fleshbound (Enchanted Ink)

A month later…

Q uill packed the final pieces into his suitcase, along with all his notes and books before walking out of his apartment.

He was going to Scotland. Dunstaffnage Castle, to be exact.

It was believed to be one of the locales that might be where the ancient lost city of Evonium sat.

If that didn’t work, he planned to attempt the spell at the Calanais Stones.

They were Stonehenge’s Scottish cousin and one of the most magical places in Scotland.

Along the way, he’d found something of a primer for the unknown language they’d stumbled on.

It was a mixture of Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaeilge, Old English, Druidic, and potentially Fae.

His translation wasn’t in full because he couldn’t figure out the Fae bits, but he’d gotten enough to deduce what it said.

He hoped.

All while knowing the tiniest of mistakes could ruin everything.

He rolled his bag downstairs to the bookshop where Perry and Cassius awaited him.

The shop was still closed. He couldn’t get used to seeing it so quiet and devoid of customers.

He sensed the shop itself was growing sad.

He wasn’t sure if it was gathering that emotion from him or the lack of witches browsing its shelves.

Hopefully he’d find Corven, and life could return to something like normal for him and the shop.

“I’m ready,” Quill told Cassius.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” Perry asked, frowning.

“I’ll be just fine,” Quill said, adjusting his bowtie. “I promise.”

Perry didn’t look convinced. He’d been hovering near Quill nearly every day, worrying ever since he’d passed out.

“I’ve been eating and resting accordingly. I’ll be fine.”

Perry sighed. “I still think someone should go with you.”

“I don’t disagree with Perry,” Cassius said, lifting a brow.

“This may be a trip for naught,” Quill said. “I only have theories and little hope they’ll work. There’s no point in two people wasting their time. One is bad enough.”

A spark sizzled in the middle of the room. It looked like an attempt to open a portal in the middle of the bookshop. Quill turned to Cassius, who lifted his hands, coiling magic into his palms. From the look of concern on his face, the portal clearly wasn’t his.

He was preparing a defense.

A tiny hole opened, and an older woman’s voice rang out. There was a light brogue to her voice.

“Can ye please allow me tae open this door and deliver this wretched beast back where he belongs? I’ve had enough o his incessant chatter and him eating all ma food!”

“Who are you?” Cassius demanded, wrapping the small spark with a bubble of magic to protect them.

“Magdelena o the Calanais,” she replied.

“Calanais?” Quill asked, stepping forward. He turned his attention to Cassius. “That was one of the places I was going to seek Corven. They’re Druids.”

“Get out of ma way, ye old hag,” a deep, male voice said. “Quillie! Is that ye I hear?”

Quill rushed to Cassius. “That’s Corven’s voice.”

Cassius didn’t look convinced.

“Can you allow them to open it a little so I can see him?” Quill asked.

“They’re attempting to open a fucking portal inside our secured building,” Cassius spat. “I don’t know this witch and we don’t know if it’s truly Corven.” He turned toward the portal. “How do we know this isn’t an attack? I won’t allow you to break through our magical seals.”

“Oh, ma dear… I’m barely trying tae break through yer wee little wards. If I wanted tae open this portal, I coud. I’m giving ye the respect o a warning and a request,” the witch on the other side said.

“Wee little wards? They’ve protected us from demon attack,” Cassius snapped back.

“Demons?” She chuckled. “As if they’ve got any real power. Look, Cassius… if ye let us in and rid me o this wicked manchild and his whining, I’ll help ye put up wards that even Hecate herself couldn’t break through. Wards the Seven couldn’t shatter even on their best day.”

“And I should believe you why?” Cassius asked.

Magdelena sighed. “Nothing I coud say woud make ye listen. So, it has to be ma way.”

Suddenly, the portal burst open, breaking through Cassius’s protections and showering magic all over the bookstore. Books went flying… as did Cassius, Perry, and Quill.

Magdelena—all four feet nothing of her—walked through the portal, dragging Corven through.

Nearly as round as she was tall, she more wobbled than walked.

She released him once on the other side and dusted her hands.

She glared up at Corven. “Don’t ye be coming back tae the Isles any time soon.

If ye do, don’t ye dare darken ma doorstep.

” She sighed and turned to Cassius. “Sorry it had tae come to this, but I refuse tae spend one more hour with this two-thousand-year-old twatwaffle. If you want tae learn some real wards that have the power tae make that never happen again, come tae the Calanais Stones and find me. I’ll be waiting for ye, old man. ”

“Old man?” Cassius asked, lifting a brow. He gave her the once over. “Magdelena, hmm? I thought your name was N?—”

Magdelena whipped out her hand and suddenly Cassius’s lips sealed shut.

“We donnae use tha name anymore,” Magdelena said. She narrowed her eyes. “But I’m impressed ye soused it out.” She smiled at Cassius. “Meet ye at the stones. Whenever ye’re ready, Cassius Howe. I’ll be waitin.”

She wobbled back through the portal before it closed.

Quill rose from the floor, eyeing Corven. “Is it really you?”

“I think so,” Corven replied. “I sure as hell hope it is.” A smile stretched across his face, and he spread his arms wide.

Quill rushed into his arms and immediately knew it was his Corven. After hugging the breath from the man, he lifted his gaze. “How?”

“After ye left, I blacked out. The next time I woke, I was in the middle o the Calanais Stones, naked as the day I was borne.”

“How long ago? You’ve been gone nearly three months,” Quill said.

“I donnae rightly ken,” Corven said. “The Calanais coven found me in their stones an called me a demon. They’ve had me locked in a cage for the gods ken how long, badgerin me for answers I couldn’t give em. So I became a right pain in their arse in hopes they’d let me go.” He grinned. “It worked.”

He lowered his head and captured Quill’s lips.

When Quill pulled away, he stared up into Corven’s eyes. The same fiery red.

“Where’s the book?” Quill whispered.

“Gone, it seems,” Corven said before another smile stretched across his lips. “I haven’t seen it since I reappeared. I think the curse might be…”

“Broken?” Quill whispered.

Corven winced. “I’m almost scared tae think it. Twice as scared tae say it. What if it’s no.”

“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Quill said.

“Does that mean… we’re… gonna cross it together?”

Quill held his breath. “If… that’s… what you want. You’ve been imprisoned for two millennia. If you wish to be free of everything…” Including me…

“I am free,” Corven said. “Because o ye. Even if it’s only for a little while… I want tae spend ma days with you, Quillie.” He stiffened. “If ye’ll have me.”

“Of course I’ll have you,” Quill said before pressing his lips to Corven’s.

He melted into Corven’s embrace, almost scared it was a dream and he’d awaken to the nightmare of reality alone.

Cassius cleared his throat.

Quill slipped from Corven’s embrace, mortified. He’d forgotten there was anyone else there. When he saw the broad smiles on Cassius’s and Perry’s faces, he was even more embarrassed.

“Pierre and I will clean up this mess,” Cassius said. “If you’d like to be alone with Corven.”

Quill shook his head. “Where are my manners? Cassius, this is Corven of Evonium. Perry… Corven.”

“Good tae meet ye.” Corven stepped closer and shook both their hands. “And not tae be rude, but if ye might point me in the direction of where alone is, I’d be mighty appreciative.”

Quill’s face turned hot, and he snagged Corven’s hand. “This way.”

“Don’t worry about coming in anytime soon!” Perry called as they rushed through the back room toward the door. “We have it covered for the two weeks you were supposed to be gone!”

“Two weeks o just ye an me?” Corven asked, his voice hushed. “Sounds good tae me.”

Quill closed his apartment door and pressed his back to it, watched as Corven sauntered in ahead. Why he was suddenly feeling shy, he didn’t know. All of the long hours searching for a thread, a hint, a clue… and his mate was standing right in front of him.

My mate?

The rightness of that thought hit him square in the chest.

Corven spun and smiled at him. “Ye’re so lovely tae these old eyes.”

Quill fought a smile.

He crossed the room and cupped Quill’s cheek. “I love the way ye blush when I say nice things tae ye, too.”

Corven lifted his other hand and rubbed his thumb over Quill’s lower lip. “I cannae stop thinkin that yer mine, Quillie. That the curse was broken… because o ye.”

“If it’s indeed broken.”

“Donnae be sayin that,” Corven said. “I’ve no been free o that book in two millennia. I’ve been free o it for near tree months from the sound o it.” He brushed his lips across Quill’s. “Because o ye.”

“Or maybe it was because of you,” Quill whispered.

“Me? If I were capable o that, I’d have been free for longer than tree months.”

“You forced me to leave. You sacrificed for my freedom, willing to be alone versus trap me there with you. Because I… I sense… I meant something to you.”

Corven’s face softened. “O course ye dae.”

“Maybe that broke the spell.”

Corven scoffed. “Doesnae matter. Had I no met ye, then there’d have been no sacrificing anything.

Ye mere existence freed me.” He brushed his lips against Quill’s.

“I’ll spend the rest o ma days thankin ye for it.

” He quickly glanced over his shoulder. “I’d much appreciate thankin ye in bed, if ye donnae mind. ”

“Just like a man. All he can think about is sex,” Quill muttered, lifting a brow.

“And ye are a man, too, so I ken wha’s in yer head.”