Page 23 of Wicked Bonds

Until now, she realized, glancing at the mind reader beside her. She might be invisible to him, but he couldhearher.

Balthazar scrutinized her as she returned to her corporeal state, his eyes unerringly finding her own despite his inability to see her when she went ethereal.

His mind knew hers, could picture every detail without seeing her.

And that truly terrified her.

Because he knew exactly what she feared now more than anything else in existence. Being caught and the acts that would follow her capture.

Reformation would destroy her mind and crush her soul.

The fact that it scared her said everything there was to know about her current condition. A stoic Seraphim would never fear the mind-numbing pod because they had nothing to lose.

No joy. No fond memories. Nolife.

Leela would rather die than be subjected to that torment.

Which was precisely the problem.

Seraphim didn’t die.

Thus, if she was ever caught, she’d reside there in torturous limbo for eternity. Andhewould merely watch her suffer. Uncaring. Unfeeling. Waiting for her to be corrected so he could complete what the Fates had told him to do with her.

Breed.

Which wouldn’t be for at least another century.

One benefit of her fertility line—she knew her own cycle.

Something that had allowed her to escape her fate more than once. But it also meant if she were caught, she might suffer for a hundred years while they attempted to fix her.

All whileheobserved the “correction.”

Balthazar didn’t comment. Didn’t ask questions. Just studied her for another beat before glancing around at the abundance of snow.

January in Iceland meant it was cold and dark.Just like a reformation chamber.

She swallowed, shoving the concept from her mind, and noted the home about twenty yards in front of them. The shimmer of energy outside confirmed it was warded. But the fact that they could see it meant they were allowed to enter.

Balthazar didn’t appear as convinced.

“I haven’t lived this long by trusting everything I see,” he said, his focus returning to Leela. “How did Vera know about the home in the Bahamas? She misted inside with the ease of someone who has been there before. Yet she wasn’t there for the birth.”

“Gabe must have told her.” Except Vera had said that the last time they’d spoken was after she’d altered his memories. Or had she saidseen?

“She saidspoken,” Balthazar confirmed. “So how did she know about Osiris’s home?” he asked again.

“I…” Leela trailed off. “Honestly, I have no idea how Vera’s learned half the things she knows.” She was always several steps ahead and one hundred percent prepared. “She’s a genius.”

“Who can manipulate memories at will.”

“She’s on our side,” Leela insisted.

“We’ll see.”

“We will,” she agreed, certain. Vera was her best friend. She trusted her implicitly.

Balthazar hummed something unintelligible under his breath and started toward the house.