Page 32 of Hers to Keep

The instant he was gone, her magic dropped, and Cisco moved toward her.She held up a hand to stop whatever he was going to say and turned toward Dohal.“How did you know about the magic?”

“I didn’t know the details.I’m very attuned to your magic and could see how it was reacting to protect him, and I knew you weren’t doing it.”

“You didn’t know about the contract with the goddess?”

He stared straight into her eyes as he answered, “No.I would have told you.”

“She implied that she did it to protect you, long before I knew who you were.How did she know?”

“I assume because she could feel the link between us.I had never met her before I met you, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“There’s something else there.Something she didn’t want me to find out.”Saints, how she hated that there were things about herself she still didn’t understand.

“I don’t know what it could be.I’ve told you everything I’m aware of.”

She pivoted to Cisco and took a cleansing breath.“The memories of that day.There’s nothing of the time when I was asleep?”

He shook his head, looking upset.“I didn’t know when I put you out that there was anyone else inside you.And I told you before that at the time I thought it was just another aspect of you.I didn’t realize that she was someone else, and that she could…” He stopped and ran a hand through his hair.“I fucked up, and I can’t even say that I’m sorry because I’d do it all again, Mari, to spare you that.”

She resisted the urge to pull him into a hug because she needed to finish this conversation first, and she wasn’t sure how she was going to feel about the answers.“You saw the whole thing?”She swallowed.“Their time together.”

He looked like he would rather be anywhere else right now.“Yes.”

“Did I seem like I objected during the ritual?Did I scream?Say no?”

Cisco frowned.“No.You didn’t scream or fight him.I thought they might have drugged you at the time.”

“Why did you think that?”She steeled herself for the answer she guessed was coming.

He looked away, unable to meet her eyes.“Because you made noises like you were enjoying it.”

Mari reached out to take his arm and pulled him into a hug.He didn’t put his arms around her.“It wasn’t your fault, okay?”she said fiercely.“You were a kid too, and you were doing what you thought I needed.I’m not mad about that.”

He nodded against her and finally wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him delicately.“So what do we do now?”

She looked around at each of them in turn.“Nobody attacks him.I don’t know if the deal-breaking clause goes both ways, but we can’t risk it.”

She waited for them all to agree before she continued, “And when he shows up again, I don’t want anyone taunting him either.As sick to my stomach as it makes me to admit, right now we need his protection more than he needs ours.”

WhyhadAshdei made that deal?Was there something he was afraid of?It seemed strange that a creature of his strength might need her protection.He’d scared the Old One away just by standing there.

Rio sighed.“Do we really thinkthat guyhad a serious consent conversation with the goddess?In a way that she understood?”

Mari shook her head.“I don’t know, but she’s not mad about what happened.So until such time as she feels like sharing more, or we find a way to unlock her memories of that time, we’re going to give him the benefit of the doubt.”

There were groans and grumbles from the men around her.“I don’t like it either, but it seems like the goddess was a willing participant.I need to talk to Willow about soul contracts.Maybe there’s some loophole in there we can use.”

Dohal placed his hand on the back of her neck, warm and reassuring.“I am sorry that I am the reason you to have to tolerate him.”

“I would tolerate a lot more to keep you safe.”She smiled up at him.“He can’t hurt us as long as he wants my protection.Let’s focus on that.”

“What is it we think he needs protection from?”Cisco asked.

“That’s what we have to figure out.Because if we end up on the bad side of that, we might be no better off.”

“There isn’t much that could threaten one such as him,” Dohal said in a low murmur.

“Could you?”Mari asked, voice filled with uncertainty.

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