Page 197 of Whispers of Wisteria
“She couldn’t speak and could hardly stand,” Titus continued, still in a quiet fury. “I want to know why she was ever allowed to be in that condition. Why was she there if they could still move?”
“Maria said Bianca wouldn’t leave,” Miles said, tone unreadable. “She wanted to get to you.”
Titus’s features hardened as he watched Bianca. He seemed to be considering something.
“I told her to hide,” he said finally. “She refused. But if she hadn’t broken Jameson’s spell, we’d still be trapped.”
“Jameson’s spell?” My necklace burned against my skin.
“It was why I couldn’t break out,” Titus replied. “Someone from the Underworld was helping them. Bianca intervened.”
The… Underworld.
My realm.
My heart pounded as my blood roared.
There was one obvious suspect. He hadn’t exactly made his feelings a secret, even though I hadn’t admitted the depths to anyone—
Belial.
“How…” I sounded distant, even to myself. He’d always seemed so insignificant—an annoyance—but I also knew him.
He would latch on to Bianca like a leech.
The dread pooled in my stomach. “How did she intervene?”
“I don’t know,” Titus said. “But whatever happened, it let me escape. Then I killed Albert for touching her.”
I couldn’t look away from her battered form. She’d done something reckless and self-sacrificing—I was sure of it.
“Jameson attacked. He wanted to keep her, so she summoned Kiania to get away,” Titus continued, voice echoing distantly as I stared. “He didn’t care about me anymore.”
There was a growing unease I couldn’t ignore.
“Then Bianca pushed me out of the plane,” Titus added. “She followed. We flew, she collapsed, and now we’re here.”
She pushed him out of a plane?
I couldn’t even laugh.
“Joe,” Gregory cut in. “How long before she can be moved?”
Joe blinked as Julian startled. The two necromancers looked at each other, silent, before Joe finally said, “Now, I suppose.”
“Good.” Gregory stepped forward, and I knew it was coming before he said a word. “We’re taking her to Mr. Damen’s house.”
My protest died in my throat. That… wasn’t what I expected. “What?”
“I will not have her wake up to an unfamiliar location—not after this. Mr. Miles and Mr. Jonathon will be reinforcing your wards today,” Gregory said. Miles opened his mouth, but Gregory held up his hand. “Dr. Duff has betrayed us; you do not get to argue.” He looked at me, “I trust you have no objections.”
I blinked. “Well, no, but—”
“When she is back to herself, she will be going toWhisperwind,” Gregory said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Finn spoke before I could. He was sitting beside Titus with his arms crossed, and he rolled his shoulders as he added, “Trust me, I know her better than anyone else here. She’ll shut down if you don’t give her a choice.”
I looked at him—reallylooked at him—for the first time in a long time, and I couldn’t breathe.
