Page 14 of Magic Betrayed

But as I stood there, I caught sight of my pajama clad legs and suffered a fresh attack of horrified embarrassment.

I hadn’t come in here last night wearing pajamas.

The thought was enough to stiffen my spine (ouch) and send me marching out of the bedroom on only slightly rubbery legs, in search of the insufferable dragon who couldn’t even be bothered to talk to me.

Of course, regret set in the moment I set foot in the living room, but it was too late. The apartment was an open concept, andhewas standing in the kitchen.

Callum-ro-Deverin. King of the Shapeshifters. My former boss and probably the last person in the world I wanted to see me looking like a complete and utter disaster.

He was even more gorgeous than I remembered. Six and a half feet of amber-eyed dragon shifter, his broad shoulders and trim waist accentuated by a soft, close-fitting gray sweater. His auburn hair was gently tousled, as if he’d just woken up or towel-dried it after a shower, and everything else about him seemed… tired. He was staring at his phone and sipping coffee out of a stoneware mug—his “King Callum” switch in theoffposition.

He looked up and saw me, and for the barest instant, I thought I glimpsed a flash of raw vulnerability. Of relief. Even of welcome. But it was gone so fast, I immediately began to second guess what I’d seen.

“Tell me these aren’t your pajamas.” Oh good grief, were those really the first words out of my mouth?

I saw his lips twitch ever so slightly. “Those aren’t my pajamas.”

“Whose are they?” Apparently, I was now committed to the pajama question.

“Well, since you’re wearing them, I guess they’re yours now?”

Not an answer, Your High and Mightiness. “Callum-ro-Deverin, did you or did you not change my clothing last night while I was unconscious?”

He set down the coffee mug. “I did not.” One eyebrow arched in my direction. “I know you don’t think much of me, but I hope you don’t believe I would ever take advantage of you.”

I didn’t. But…

Wait…

“What do you mean,Idon’t think much ofyou?” That was absurd. He was the one who hatedme.

His expression shifted slightly. “After the way our last meeting ended, I assumed you never wanted to see me again.”

What was he… oh.

During the final battle with Blake and his people, I’d realized that Callum knew all along someone was using stolen magic artifacts. He’d hired me to be a distraction for his enemies—a wild card for the mole in his organization to focus on while he went on investigating behind all our backs.

I understood why he’d done it. I even understood why he felt he had no choice. But I’d also had to pretend to be angry with him, to distract Blake and buy time for Faris to arrive.

And I’d never told him that my anger was a feint. I’d walked away after the battle—too much of a coward to stay and face the consequences of my revelations.

“I waspretending, you idiot,” I growled. “I needed Blake to think we were at odds. If he still believed he had a chance to recruit me, I thought it might give Faris time to show up. Once Blake’s people used earth magic, I knew it was only a matter of time before Faris figured out something was wrong.”

My brain gibbered at me toshut up. Had I really just called the king of the shapeshifters an idiot?

Callum’s eyes widened a little. “Then… But you disappeared. You never called or tried to get in touch. Faris said you needed time, so I waited.”

His words staggered me. He’d been waiting… for me?

Also, Faris saidwhat?

“I thought you’d want nothing to do with me,” I blurted out. “I’m not even Idrian, Callum. And I hid it from you. Fromyou!” I waved a frustrated hand at him. “You’re basically the poster child for law and order, and I’m now in violation of who knows how many of those laws—laws that you literally helped write. I can’t even leave the Shadow Court because the minute I do, I’m a wanted criminal. So why on earth would I think you were waiting for me to call?”

The king of the shapeshifters slid his phone into his jeans pocket. Picked up his coffee, took a sip, and set it down again—every movement a study in careful control.

“Raine.” His sigh seemed to release a world of tension from that imposing frame. “I’ve spent the last three months feeling like I betrayed you. I promised I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, and then I turned around and hurt you in the worst way possible.”

His gaze turned haunted. “I’m the one who pushed for those laws. And in the end, they turned out to be horrifically unjust to the most desperate of Elayara’s victims. So I thought the only thing I could do was wait until I’d found a solution.”

---