I thought at first I imagined her voice because I was thinking about her so much, but I blinked and saw she had dropped back next to me.
I shrugged and looked away, then caught myself.
The last time you were short with her because you were pissed, she thought you were telling her to get out of your life.
“Yeah.” I couldn’t stop from adding, “As long as you don’t pretend I’m somebody else.”
She stopped walking, so I did, too.
“Why would I do that?” She tilted her head to one side and her eyebrows scrunched up.
“Don’t play, Mira. Not about this.”
“I’m not playing.”
I let out a gusty breath and cupped one of her cheeks with my hand—and was shocked when she nuzzled into my palm.
“Who were you pretending Harker was?” I was afraid of the answer either way, but for very different reasons.
“You, of course.” Her eyes turned to honey.
“Are you sure you’re okay to try this?”
“Yes. Are you?”
I moved my hand to smooth a strand of hair away from her face.
“No.” And it all came pouring out of me. “I think it’s too soon. I want you to be strong enough to trust this, to trustme, and I’m not sure you are yet after everything that’s happened to you recently. I wanted to give you time and help you deal with it, but I’m afraid you’ll come to your senses and realize you can do better than a boring guy like me and disappear. But I want to take the risk because I like you, Mira. I really, really do.”
I tensed as she blinked up at me, looking a little dazed.
“Wow. So, I don’t know how to respond toallof that, but I want you to know I’m absolutely positive it’s not reverseStockholm Syndrome talking when I say I really, really like you, too.”
Reverse what?I shook my head.Who cares? She said she likes me, too.
“What was Mammoth’s like?” I held out a hand and my heart flipped when she took it. “Were you in any danger?”
“Weird. And no. The alukah was too happy to get his long-lost wife back, even if she was only a pile of ashes.”
I cut my eyes down at her.
No, she isn’t teasing.
“Start at the beginning and tell me the whole story,” I demanded.
“So a warrior and an artificer walk into a Diabolical bar… ”
#
Kerry
I looked through the glass doors and saw books, candles, and all kinds of green plants. A black-haired woman, maybe in her early twenties, sat on a stool and stared into a glass ball she held in her hands.
“The sign says, ‘Endor—Medium and More,’ ” Jax told me.
“Yeah. Looks like a witch’s place.”
I opened the door and heard bells clash. Looking at the inside door handle, I saw a leather strip covered in golden sleigh bells.
