Page 64 of Love & Heart Braking

Somewhere along the line, I’d started to care less about the curse being general knowledge. Probably because the man of my dreams was already here. “Sure am. Do we have a deal?”

“If you free my husband, the trip is yours. I would give far more than that to have him back in my arms.”

“And you can vouch for him?”

“I can.”

Then I’d ask Bain to whip a contract up. “No tricks. No gimmicks. Just a simple exchange.”

“Agreed.” She paused. “Can you tell me anything about the meeting?”

“I know where he’s being held.”

“How?” she breathed.

Honestly? “Fortuna was smiling on us. I passed on your message too.”

“Thank you. How did he look?”

Hungry, sick, tired, defeated. “He looked hopeful at the message. Resolved and ready to fight. I’m sure it will keep him good company for a while.”

She whispered another, “Thank you.”

“Should I send the contract to your work email?” I asked.

“No, they watch that. Here.” She shoved a card under the partition.

I picked it up, reading the words, Nepos Notice. She’d crossed out her usual email and jotted another down. “I’ll be in touch soon.”

As I stood, the partition lifted, and noise flooded into my ears. I checked the clock up on the wall.

What a day. A beaten cupid, a blackmailed goblin, and that wasn’t the end of it.

It was time to go see a witch about a curse.

14

A lot of the covens had private lakes. Usually ones they’d carved out. Water was important for many of their spells and, well, their type didn’t share well with others.

The butler bowed to me, gesturing ahead to where a figure stood knee-high in the lake. Her black gown floated on the surface and gave the impression of thick ink gathered around her.

I locked down on another tendril of hope. No way was I believing this would go ahead. Not after the shit she’d pulled since I met her.

“Vera,” I said.

Lowering her arms, she turned in the water. “Miss Concordia.”

“I’d say it’s nice to see you, but I’m having a hard time not punching you in the tit.”

She dipped her head. “Understandably you are angry.”

Was that empathy? “Don’t hurt yourself by feeling too much, Vera.”

“I was forced to hand over the rights,” she told me. “I recognize that it was not in standing with the expectation between us, and I appreciate you not going to the board despite what I had to do.”

I felt my face harden. I may have danced with the idea of revenge with Gug’s husband earlier, but bad juju wasn’t a normal part of my routine. Going to the board truly hadn’t occurred to me. “I know what the twelve are like, but it’s disappointing when a person of your power crumbles at their feet or obeys the crook of their finger. Who will fight them if not someone like you?”

Vera’s brows drew together at my choice of words.

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