Page 20 of Unraveled (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins #1)

“It doesn’t happen that often, but Nera has a gift with artifacts. They always respond to her, though tying herself to a strange necklace can be problematic.” His face turns with worry, and perhaps some of his previous intoxication evaporates.

“Why did she do it then?” I wish my voice didn’t sound so accusatory, but I can feel my father’s disappointment in me, even though he hasn’t been alive for a while.

“Her affinity is chaotic when she’s under the effects of the blood moon.”

“It was my mother’s,” I admit, not sure why I’m being so candid with him.

Perhaps it’s because I haven’t slept at all, or the near-death experience we shared has somehow made me delusional enough to feel like we connect somehow.

“My father gave it to me before he died, and he made me promise I’d protect it, and not let anyone see it. ”

Ash’s eyes soften as he studies me in silence. I’m sure my failure is written across my face.

“You don’t need the amulet to wield magic, Monster.”

It’s what Finley said before, though at the time I didn’t believe him. But after what I did in the study with Nera, I’m starting to.

I grin and flatten my hand across his shoulder, smoothing the bandage over his skin before pinning it in place. “Why are you being so nice?”

“Perhaps I’m drunk.” He drags one of his hands through his hair, glaring at the discarded bottle on the floor. Dark wavy locks stand in disarray, and he closes his eyes and leans back. “Or maybe I’m grateful you saved my life.”

I shouldn’t feel worried he’s nodding off, especially when he drank almost an entire bottle of whiskey on his own in record time. But Nera isn’t back yet with the potion, and I can’t help but wonder if this is the poison’s doing.

“Well, you have saved me from the lunargyres two times already. It seems only fair that I return the favor.”

“Three times.”

“Huh?”

“I saved you three times. Once in the forest, once in the courtyard, and once today when Nera almost got you,” he explains, counting them on his fingers.

“Right,” I say bitterly, and shove all the medical supplies back into the box. “She isn’t a bird-beast like you. Does the curse present differently for everyone?”

“Nera started like me—just a lot of feathers. For a time, I was hopeful the curse would spare her from the worst of it. But five years ago, her body began shifting to stone. Three months ago, during the last blood moon, she lost herself completely, much like you saw, and became a?—?”

Ash doesn’t have to say it, because I read the words in his horrified expression. A rabid lunargyre.

“Why was she in your office if she’s dangerous even to you?”

“Because I can put her into another deep slumber if I have to. I don’t want her to be frozen like an actual statue, but it’d be worse if she went outside and was captured by your people.”

Ash trapped her in a magical sleep to save her from my sister. I look away from him as shame takes all of me. He’ll do anything to protect Nera. Like I tried to do for Irene.

“Is she the reason you stormed into Penumbra a week ago? It had nothing to do with the stolen grimoires, did it? But everything to do with Nera.”

“For her—and my people.” His jaw tightens before he speaks. “I’ll storm that city, destroy the veil, and recover what’s mine.”

“If you release me and tell me what grimoires you need, I’ll bring them back to you,” I promise, and when Ash stares at me, I think he understands I’m speaking my truth.

“I was being honest with you when I told you I didn’t want you here, Monster.

But I can’t let you go either. An ancient bond tethers you to me, has ever since you met my gaze.

And it’s one I’m bound to follow. If you leave, I’ll come to get you, even if I want to let you go.

My nature demands it and overrules any rational thought I may have on the matter. ”

“And there’s no end to it?”

He hesitates and then sighs, loudly. “You’ll be mine until the end of our lives, or the next Séance happens, which will be in a century—or so.”

Mine . I hate that word. Hate that alongside the dread tightening around my lungs, there’s also a small part of me rejoicing at being his. What the hell is wrong with me?

“The Séance?” I drawl. Thinking back to my old studies. “The meeting with the ancient spirits? You can’t be serious.”

“I’m afraid I am.” When he looks back at me, a shadow of remorse shines behind his eyes.

“Taking humans and their souls was a practice my ancestors started when they wanted to ride the Hunt across the human lands. I haven’t participated in a long time, but we can only change the rules when we meet with the ancient spirits and the seelie court.

Of course, that hasn’t happened in three hundred years. ”

“Is there any way for you to let me go without waiting for this meeting?”

I have read hundreds of books about the fae and the history of the world.

In my twenty-five years of life, I spent a significant amount of time learning all manner of exciting things about lost civilizations.

I know the fae like to bargain. Anything that might allow them to change their hand for the better. A chance to be cunning.

They don’t like to lose. But I bet I can entice him with a better arrangement. They usually can’t say no—or so the writings say.

“Can I buy my freedom?”

Ash tilts his head, the haze of drunkenness clearing from his eyes. He stares at me for so long, I think he might not answer me at all. But when he speaks, his voice is rough and sends a shiver down my spine. “There is a way, but I don’t think you’ll like it...”

“Try me.”

“You must give me one hundred souls.”

I drop my hands to my sides and stare at him, at a loss for words. “One hundred... How could my soul be worth that many?” Panic seizes me inch by inch until I can’t breathe past the knot that’s grown in my chest.

“I didn’t make the rules, but I’m bound to tell you the stipulations. Let me make one thing clear: I don’t want your soul tethered to mine, much less one hundred more. I didn’t live most of my life avoiding the Hunt for this to happen. So you’ll stay and drop this nonsense.”

“What if I help you with the curse? Would that be enough to let me go?”

He growls deeply, and I can hear steps coming down the hall outside his room. “I don’t think you know what it takes, what you’re offering.”

I take a stuttering breath and meet his golden gaze. He is too beautiful, and deadly. I should heed his words and live the rest of my life in peace—until he loses his battle with the curse and a mindless beast kills me. “Would you release my soul if I help you break the curse?”

He straightens where he sits and reaches for the discarded shirt he tossed to the side earlier. Perhaps I’m imagining the waves of golden magic that radiate from him.

“It’ll make it harder for me to let you go...” he mutters, and stands, wincing as he seems to have forgotten Nera stabbed him less than an hour ago.

“What do you mean?” I wring my hands, still feeling the stickiness of his blood between my fingers, and step away from the bed to follow behind him as he moves toward the massive windows. I’d never have expected this place to be so lived-in and human—so normal.

“If you break it”—he pauses, and his brows knit in the middle as he reaches for the gauzy curtains fluttering in the frigid breeze—“you will release more than one hundred of my people, and so you’ll be free.”

“You have a deal.” A smile tugs at the corner of my lips as I extend a hand to him.

Ash turns to me and looks at it like snakes are curling around my fingers.

“If I’m connecting all the pieces of this massive puzzle correctly, then you’re running out of time. It’s why Nera turned feral, isn’t it? It’s why you ended up in Penumbra even though you’ve been cursed for a while. You’re desperate. What do you have to lose?”

“You don’t know...” Ash’s face loses whatever little color he regained. The door to his room swings open, revealing Nera’s marble body.

Ash clasps my hand with his, and a cyclone of gold magic envelops me, wrapping over both of our forearms and extending up our shoulders to seal our bargain with a brand over each of our hearts. I’m afraid I will never cease to smell like him, even if I succeed.

“Be thankful, Monster, that I didn’t feed you to Naheli for all the mess you’ve brought into my life.” He pulls his hand away.

The wolf lifts her head from the floor. A deep rumbling breath leaves her, and then her purple tongue rolls out of her mouth. She blinks her four eyes and lies back down, wagging her two tails rather heavily over the tile floor.

“I’m terrified,” I say flatly, and turn to pat the wolf’s enormous head. Her hair is coarse and cool under my fingers.

“What did I miss?” Nera asks, stepping forward, a pink potion in her long claws.

I press my hand to my chest and feel the warmth of our deal buzzing under my skin. I no longer have to run away to be free.