Page 25 of Queen of the Crimson Throne

Luka looked over his shoulder. “What kind of bad feeling?”

“I don’t know how to explain it.” I wrung my hands in front of me. “My magic is going haywire. All of my elements are begging to be released. I have a feeling—it’s a witch thing.”

Luka sighed. “I understand your hesitancy, but Lennox, I’ve been searching and waiting to find this witch for weeks. This is the closest I’ve come to finding the spellbook. I have to at least try.”

I wanted out of this arrangement, but I didn’t want Luka risking himself for me.

“What if I told you I didn’t want you to?”

Luka’s expression softened. “Lennox?—”

“Please, Luka, don't do this,” I pleaded. “I can’t explain it, but I don’t think any good will come from talking with her.Please.” My magic pushed and pulsed violently against my skin, begging me to retreat. “You don’t feel anything? Your magic isn’t reacting at all?” I knew it was unlikely he’d be able to sense anything, but if she was a threat he might feel something. His magic might be on alert if anything.

“No.”

I swallowed. “Luka, please, let’s go.” I took his wrist in my hand and tugged him away from the witch.

He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Fine.”

I let go of his hand and as we made our way back down the street, I struggled to keep up with him as he wove through the stalls. He only looked back to check I was still following him a handful of times.

Not even once we exited the market, did he say another word to me.

14

LUKA

I paced around my room, my boots wearing a path in the rug.

I felt guilty about how I had treated Lennox after she begged me to leave the market without talking to the witch Scribe.

I understood her hesitancy, I didn’t doubt she had a bad feeling about the witch, but that didn’t mean I still didn’t want to talk to her.

After weeks of searching, this was the closest I had gotten and I turned around at the command of two little words.

Luka, please.

It wasn’t often Lennox asked for things nicely, and I was in the habit of giving her what she wanted.

Which is why it was so Stars damned frustrating she wouldn’t let me talk to her. I was doing this all for her, didn’t she get that? This was all for her freedom.

I’d be damned if I let anyone stand in the way of that.

Even Lennox.

Fuck it.

I strapped my sword to my back and took off out the door.

If I had been thinking clearly I would have asked Nico or Delcan to accompany me back to the market, but I didn’t want to waste any more time than I already had.

The sun was already setting, casting the market in a dim light. Hiding everything in shadows.

I could have come back tomorrow, in the daylight, but what if the witch Scribe was already gone? I couldn’t risk it.

When I finally arrived back at the witches’ block I expected to find her packing up, as most of the other stall owners were, but there she sat, surrounded by piles of books, arms crossed over her thin frame, her eyes firmly fixed on me.

“I knew you’d be back, vampire. I could see it in your eyes before.” I approached her table without hesitating. “Your companion was smart to warn you away earlier. Witches don’t mix well with vampires, no matter what the half-breed witch might try to convince you otherwise.”

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