Page 46 of Jade Lion and the Witch Boy
Oh no.The coven’s spell is active.
Meanwhile, Kai doesn’t seem to notice my panic. “Sebastian Suarez. I think I’ve been waiting for you.” The charm glows even brighter, and my heart takes off in a panic.
“Seb, I want you to know that I lo—”
“Take it off!” I shriek. I scramble to pull off the bracelet, but to no avail.
Kai, meanwhile, looks at me like I’m a weirdo. He lifts up his wrist while I try to pry the bracelet off. “What?”
“The protection charm. I thought I told you not to wear it anymore!”
I keep tugging, but the knot isn’t budging. Where’s a pair of scissors when you need one?
“Lisbeth spoke to me while you were showering. She urged me to wear it for safety, so I put it back on.”
“Please, Kai. Don’t say another word, just take it off, please!” I tug and tug, then pause and look at the man I love.
He seems equal parts skeptical and confused, but lifts his other hand and shifts it into a lion’s paw. With one clawed finger, he easily snaps off the charm bracelet. I take it and leap out of bed. Then I shove it in a drawer.
Please don’t be too late.
When I turn to Kai, he’s still in bed, watching me with a perplexed look. I take a few calming breaths, content in knowing he looks unaffected. But there’s only one way to find out. “Could you please conjure me a, um…rolling suitcase?”
“Pardon?”
“I…really need one. Right now. Do you know what that is?”
Kai looks down at the floor between us. When he waves his wrist, arcana glows around his fingers. In seconds, a brown piece of luggage manifests. “Like this?” he asks.
I touch the luggage, and my chest sags as I let out a breath. The relief in my soul is immeasurable.Kai is okay.
He stares at me like I’ve lost my mind, which is fair. I bolt upright and stride to my dresser. “We need to leave.”
“I’m sorry?”
“We have to get out of Boysen House. There’s no time,” I say, as I pull clothes out of the drawer. I shove them into the luggage while putting on an outfit.
“But why?”
The coven is going to keep trying to sap his powers, so I need to distance myself from them. “I…can’t explain, but we need to get our own place. We can stay at a hotel tonight.” I glance up and pause when I see Kai already standing. He seems adorably perplexed, and I try not to get distracted by his toned, naked body.
I stride up to him and grab his hips. “I promise you, I will clarify what’s going on eventually. You just have to trust me right now.” I slowly kiss his lips and pull back. Sure, I’m using affection to manipulate him, but it’s for a good cause. “Do you trust me?”
He nods, and his face softens. “Yes, of course.”
I sigh. “Then please help me pack my clothes. I’m going downstairs and taking all of my best ingredients from the kitchen.” With jeans and a shirt on, I grab Kai one more time and peck him on the mouth. “And don’t say anything to the ladies, alright?”
He grins. “As you wish, my love.”
I bite back a swoon and then shake my head. There’s no time to waste, so I dash downstairs.
I’m almost done shoving my favorite utensils into a plastic bag when I feel a presence in the kitchen. When I turn around, my face falls.
Taina looks distraught. Twenty-four hours ago, she was here saying that Kai would kill me. Now she just looks wrung out and sad.
“Seb,” she says.
“Hey,” I reply. She sits down, and I gradually stop my frantic packing. Guilt gnaws at my chest. Boysen House has been good to me, but Taina was my bestie way before that. I can’t imagine a life without her.
