Page 100 of Death Warden
“Yes.” I smiled up at Spectre. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I want you too. It doesn’t change our bond. If we’d been given the time, I would have fallen in love with you too, Spectre. I know it.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I know. I fucking know.”
I relaxed against him, relieved that he’d accepted my feelings without fighting me. “Thank you.”
He stroked my cheek. “What for?”
“For not making this hard…awkward…I don’t know.”
“You’re my mate, Adi. Your happiness means everything to me.”
“And what about your happiness?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “If it were anyone other than Curo…” He sighed. “I can live with this.” He looked up at Curo. “I always knew you had a softer side.”
We lay in silence for several minutes, at ease, as one.
“How’s Tobias getting on?” Curo asked.
“Good,” Spectre said. “Dax is rallying the forces in case the Mageri council attacks.”
“They won’t get through the wards,” Curo said with confidence.
“They built the wards,” Spectre replied.
Oh, fuck. This was all because of me. My one life. “Loralie, my ancestor, made a deal with Dralos. She refused to pay the price, and because of that, so many people have died. I won’t let anyone else die. You have to let him have me. Pay the debt and end this.”
“And then what?” Curo said. “Release him to wander the world and ruin hundreds, no, thousands of lives by offering tempting trades that will eventually destroy the people he does business with. We have no idea what the extent of his power is. For all we know, this unfinished trade could be what’s holding him back from flexing his full abilities.”
“He’s right,” Spectre said. “We can’t risk it.”
“You might have to. You might have to let me go. We have a territory to think about. To protect.”
“That’s not for you to worry about,” Spectre said. “You let the Grave Spirits deal with that.”
My eyes were closing again. I forced them open. “I’m sorry.”
“No,” Spectre said. “Conserve your energy and get some rest. I’ll get you some food.” But I was already drifting off. “Stay with her.”
“I will,” Curo said.
I heard the door open, then close, and snuggled into Curo.
He stroked my hair. “When this is over, I’m going to take you to Bay View. We have a beach house there. The sea view… the fresh air…You’ll love it.”
“Is there a pier?”
“Yes, and a small funfair.”
“Mmmmm.” I shouldn’t have been making plans. I was dying, after all, but I liked pretending. “Candy floss and hot dogs.”
“Whatever you want.” His tone was thick with emotion.
“I need you to do something for me. When I’m gone—”
“Don’t.” He gripped me tighter. “We’ll find a way to fix this.”
But I’d always been a realist. “When I’m gone”—my tone was firm—“I need you to contact my godparents in Barrow Town. Tobias has the address. Tell them everything. Tell them I love them and I’m sorry I didn’t call to say goodbye. I just…I can’t.”
