Page 85 of Liar Witch

“Name it.”

“I need you to scour the library. I know it’s a long shot, but if there’s some way to break a fae-bound bargain, I need to know.”

Elsie doesn’t even pause to ask questions. Either she’s put two and two together, or the excitement is just too great for her to even care, because she rushes from the room in a flurry of white robes and blonde hair.

“Trying to free your pirates?” Reva says.

I try to shrug nonchalantly. “I can’t say too much; I don’t even know if it will work.”

Reva nods. “I suppose it’s better not to get your hopes up… I don’t suppose you have anything for me to do? I’m getting bored of bedrest. I’m far more useful on my feet.”

“Any progress on tracking down Cooper?”

At his name, Reva’s expression sours.

“She’s avoiding him. The last time I even mentioned him, she changed the subject.”

“Solars.” I sigh. “Conflict really isn’t their thing. His father was there when they captured me, so there’s almost no way he’s not involved somehow.”

At the same time, my mind finds it hard to reconcile the teenager I first saw stumbling out of a ramshackle shed with his sleeve on fire with the cruel man who watched as the Eagle and her cronies beat me.

“She needs to find out for herself,” Reva agrees. “I’ll do some reconnaissance. If I find proof he’s on the Eagle’s side, I’ll take him out quietly. Without Elsie knowing.”

I nod in agreement. “Concrete proof. Elsie will be distraught if he’s executed and then found innocent later on…”

We both lapse into an uneasy silence. “We’ll find the information you need and get to the bottom of this,” Reva promises. “May the Lady’s shadows hide you.”

“Lady’s light protect you,” I mutter, letting the magical connection between us drop.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Niklaus

Nilsa’s so lost in her own mind as she trudges into her cabin that she doesn’t even notice me perched on the edge of her bed. Her familiar looks up lazily from where she’s moon-bathing on the windowsill, but drops her head straight back down again as though even that small movement requires too much effort.

“Deep thoughts?” I ask.

Nilsa jerks like she’s been stung. Her head whips around, and her luminous blue eyes meet mine.

“Klaus.” Her voice is quiet, contemplative. As if her mind is still preoccupied with whatever she was doing for hours in that tiny study the pirates have given her.

“Were you expecting someone else?” I smile, gently. “I wasn’t going to let one of them take my first night with you, especially after you kicked Adella’s ass for me in that Arena. I owe you a bath and a massage at least.”

She hesitates, then nods slowly. “I suppose I should cleanse in case anyone in Ilyani picks up my trail.”

I hum in agreement, even though none of that made any sense to me. “I’ll wash your back if you wash mine. Sirens make excellent bathing companions; just wait until you see what I can do with bubbles.”

Her tiny snort is perfect, the humour leeching the stress from her shoulders.

“Come on, little warrior,” I cajole, offering her my hand. “Let me take care of you tonight.”

If there was any resistance left in her, it melts away at my words. Her smaller hand slips into my larger one and I let out a soft hiss of pleasure at the contact.

I’ve already run a bath, but she adds handfuls of herbs to it before she gets in, murmuring words under her breath until the water shines with her magic.

I absorb everything she does and says like a sponge. I want to know all about her. Her magic. Her powers. Her likes and dislikes.

I’m obsessed with my mate and I’m not even sorry.