Page 152 of Whispers of Wisteria
“Your faith is inspirational,” Gregory said. “But we’ve been working on this curse for half a century.”
“None of youthinkthe way she does,” I told him. “She’ll see something you missed.”
“She shouldn’t have to,” Julian cut in. His arms were crossed, and he studied me in a way that highlighted his displeasure. “She’s hurt, and she’s been taken captive. It’s not up to her to save herself.”
I frowned at him. “That’s not what I’m saying.”
Why didn’t he see it?
“That’s exactly what you’re saying,” Julian responded. “You’re putting the pressure of their escape on her, and she doesn’t even know it. That is not a plan.”
“That’s not it,” I replied stiffly. I didn’t like what he was implying. “My point is, Iknowshe will do something unexpected, so we need to be prepared to meet her when she does.”
“How?”
I smirked. “We’ll position ourselves to take over the second there’s an opening. Put eyes on the places we’ve been watching. The moment we get a hint of where they are, we move.”
Julian narrowed his eyes. “And what if we don’t? What if she can’t match your unrealistic expectations?”
The fire started to move through my veins. But I couldn’t let them see.
She couldn’t be taken. She couldn’t die.
But if that were to happen…
“Then I’ll destroy it all before the Guild even has a chance,” I told him.
23
Titus POV
There wasa dull pounding in my head, pulling me out of my quiet thoughts. The air was still, my senses dulled. But only a second before everything hit at once.
Maria. Albert. Those stupid nets.
The burning that I’d never expected to feel in this lifetime.
I couldn’t move.
My eyes flew open.
I’d been taken to a mostly empty silver-walled room. A magic circle had been drawn on the floor around me. I was on my knees and my arms were bound above my head by a chain hanging from the ceiling. My hands were numb—I must have been out for a while.
“You’re finally awake.”
The icy voice made my insides coil. I was barely able to keep my expression straight as Jameson Duff’s scent hit me an instant before he stepped into my vision.
And suddenly it all made sense. Albert’s ‘co-conspirator.’ The sudden competence.
Did this mean I wasactuallytaken? It couldn’t be.
Miles would never let me live this down. He’d never agreed on principle.
Jameson watched me, furious and silent. There was also an expression I couldn’t place, which made him more imposing than ever before. My skin crawled.
I couldn’t let him see.
Why was he with the Guild?
