Page 125 of Soulgazer

“But I—”

“Stop.” His lips find my forehead, and I choke down a sob as Brona crosses her arms and sinks to the ground nearby. I can’t look at her face. Can’t bear the disappointment. Lorcan leans against the railing just beside her, and Nessa leaves the ropes to sit on his other side.

Faolan sighs. “Well that’s it, then. We give up on the Isle of Lost Souls.”

“What?” I push against Faolan’s chest, searching for his eyes. They meet mine without hesitation, mouth pulled into a grim smile. His fingers curl tighter at my hip.

“We didn’t get the ring. That was the whole bloody point, wasn’t it?”

I drop the bread. “No.”

“It’s fine. We had a good run of it.”

“No, you’re not going to—”

Die.

I glance around the deck, and his wolves peer back. Nessa with a hand buried in her hair, smile uncertain now. Brona surreptitiously holding on to Lorcan’s hand, half-hidden behind her folded legs. Tavin stands at the wheel beside Kiara farther down, grip bone white on the spokes.

“You can’t leave them.” The words are soft, meant only for him.

“Enough, Saoirse.” Faolan tucks my hair back, then reaches over to salvage the bread. But I twist away, fingers working between us until they slip into the pocket tangled in my skirts. The pieces of the ring tumble together in my palm. For a moment, I wish I still believed in prayer. That if I could simply will it to heal, it would.

A whimper catches in my throat as I pull the ash-coated shards free.

There is silence as the others take it in, and then Faolan’s chest jumps with a soft laugh.

“Feckin’ stars. Did you really just—”

“My father broke it.” I curl my trembling fingers around the mess. “I couldn’t stop him.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does.”

“Saoirse, you found thering.” Faolan takes my jaw between his hands, capturing my eyes with his. “Hang the rest, I thought—” He shakes his head. Strokes my cheek with his thumb. “We’ll figure out how to heal it, just like you sorted out my arm. Your magic’s free now—”

“I can’t trust it, Faolan. I thought I could, but I was wrong.”

“No.” He catches my hand, lips painting a sweet path over myknuckles. “You’re not. Whatever happened with your father, he had it coming to him. You’re brilliant, love.”

I don’t believe you, Saoirse. Not this time.

I pull my hand back, pressing a fist over my heart. “What if you’re wrong?”

“Me?” Faolan’s eyes wrinkle at the corners as he smiles. “Haven’t you learned by now? I’m never wrong.”

My chest lurches with what might be a laugh as his eyes flit over my face. Drop to my lips.

Kiara storms down the deck. “What the feck are you two playing at?”

Faolan stiffens. “Kiara—”

“You need to consummate this union.”

Faolan lets go of my face, shoving to his feet. “Why is everyone so bloody concerned all of a sudden?”

“Because she told herbrother, eejit, and I’m sure her father suspected. If Dermot gains sense again or Maccus catches up to you, you’d damn well better be able to convince them it’s done. It’s far easier for them to gain an annulment than to break the handfasting of a couple unwilling to end it.”

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