Page 73 of Blood Weaver
I pulled away. “There’s been a change of plans, Selene.”
She frowned. “We’re not leaving?”
“Yes, we are, just not tonight and not this way.” I ushered her back to her seat and gently set her down. “I don’t want you to be chased by slave hunters for the rest of your life. It’s not fair to you, especially when the trouble is because ofme. So I … I made a deal with Orion.” I bit my lower lip.
“A deal? With Orion? The fae?” she asked in succession.
I nodded. “Yes. He’s offered to pay for your freedom before, but I always shot him down because I assumed there would be strings attached. But he promised me he would give you your slave release document right away, which would permanently free you. You wouldn’t have to worry about it ever again.”
Her eyes widened and she gasped. “Really?”
“Really.” I smiled at her.
“Can … can you trust him?” she asked worriedly.
That was a loaded question. Could I? I wasn’t sure. But I knew what he was offering me, and I couldn’t think of any possible loopholes that could possibly trip me up. Also … he claimed he was here to protect me, and I had to believe Sir Edric sent him to me for a reason. I trusted Sir Edric with my life.
“Yes. I think we can,” I answered with as much confidence as I could muster.
She nibbled her thumbnail, a nervous tick of hers.
“Don’t worry, Selene. Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. I promise. I’ll protect you.”
She sighed. “I know you’ll do anything to protect me, but that’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t want to put you in harm’s way. I’m not worth it and—”
“Don’t say that, Selene. You’re more than worth it. Don’t ever put yourself down like that. You’re only in this situation because your shitty father sold you. Not because youwantedto be a courtesan. You’re one of the merfolk, for God’s sake! You shouldn’t be here.”
She lowered her head in shame. “I stopped being one of the merfolk long ago,” she muttered.
I tipped her chin to look up at me. “Do you want to go back to the Luminar Sea?” I asked. The bioluminescent ocean was off the coast of Keldara and home to the merfolk. “Be honest with me, Selene. I will do everything in my power to send you home, even if I have to take you there myself.”
Selene reached for my hand where it held her chin. “I would never ask you to cross the borders into Keldara,” she whispered and squeezed my hand. “But if I ever want to go home, I’ll tell you. I promise.”
“Good.” I smiled down at her. “Now be prepared, because Orion will be coming here in the coming days to buy you from Madam Rose. Wait for him, no matter what happens.”
She nodded. “I will … Thank you, Leila.”
22
Iescaped the Rose Petal through Selene’s window and hopped from rooftop to rooftop until I could scale down a storefront and drop onto the street. Covering my face again, I was about to dart into the shadows when a familiar figure appeared in the quiet street. I narrowed my eyes and my stomach dropped when I realized it was Mykal.
He prowled toward me at a leisurely pace. Once he stood under the moonlight, I saw he wasn’t alone. A group of six other Keldaran soldiers was with him.
“I underestimated you, Healer,” he said. “I didn’t realize you were a mage … but it’s all starting to make sense now.” He laughed and ran a hand through his short brown hair. His companions shifted on their feet but remained quiet.
My earlier fear that I would expose myself if I used my blood mage magic reared its ugly head. I slowly edged back the way I came.
“You see, usually mages are from Valoria.” Mykal pointed to his forehead. “But you’re lacking the one element that would distinguish you as Valorian.”
The crescent moon birthmark every Valorian has,he didn’t add.
“I don’t know what you think you know, but I don’t have any ties to the Crimson Clan. Killing me will do nothing for your cause,” I said with more bravado than I felt.
He tilted his head and grinned. “Is that so? On the contrary, darling. I think you’ll be the match that lights this fire.”
I frowned. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, and in all honesty, I didn’t care to find out. I stopped inching back and stood my ground. “You don’t want to fight me,” I gritted through my teeth.
He smirked. “I like a challenge.” Slicing his hand upward, he dropped it in a chopping motion, signaling his soldiers to attack.
