Page 91 of Hand-Fasting and Other Hazards
“You don’t need that place, Lochlan,” he said, pointedly. “You don’t need them. Blood doesn’t make a family.”
Lochlan swallowed hard. The words twisted something inside him.
He’d spent years repeating this same thing to himself like a mantra. But now, with everything laid bare—Nia, the bargain, the doubts clawing at his ribs—he wasn’t sure if Wulfric was offering him comfort, or tightening the chains he’d unwittingly walked into.
CHAPTER 30
Lochlan
“LONG TRAIN RIDE? WHAT TO BRING.” —THE STELLA RUNE GAZETTE
The train station in Stella Rune exuded an otherworldly charm, with its wooden beams arcing gently over the platform and the glowing lanterns casting it all in warm light. Lochlan couldn’t help drawing comparisons to the station he’d left behind all those years ago in Dover—cold, concrete, and unremarkable. This place, with its faint hum of glamoured magic, felt alive.
Soon he’d be leaving it to return to the world he’d once thought of as home.
Standing inside a phone booth tucked within the station, he traced his fingers over an old privacy rune carved into the wood. Its faint glow was barely noticeable, but its presence was a small reminder of the magic he now carried more easily, though still struggled to fully claim.
Movement caught his eye: deep red hair that glowed even under the station’s dim lighting. Nia. She stood in the entrance, her gaze sweeping the room like a predator surveying its territory. She hadn’t noticed him yet, and for a moment, he watched her.
Damn, she was beautiful.
He’d texted her to meet him here, and though she hadn’t seen him, she moved with the confidence and purpose of someone who knew where she was going. As Nia passed the booth, he reached out on instinct, his fingers brushing hers in a fleeting touch that startled her to a stop.
Her laugh was soft, almost amused as he clasped her hand firmly, guiding her into the cramped space. She stepped closer, her green eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What is this?” she teased, her voice low and warm. “Hiding from someone?”
He shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Being in her presence made everything easier.
Her gaze dropped, catching on the duffle bag at his feet. The humor in her expression faded. “Oh,” she murmured, the weight of realization thick in her voice. “I ask you to take up space, and this is what you do? Leave?”
Lochlan shifted uncomfortably, searching for the right words. “I need to go to Dover,” he said quietly. “To figure some things out.”
The silence that followed felt thick with things neither of them seemed ready to say. Nia pressed her lips into a thin line. Then, with a small nod, she lifted her chin in that practiced way that made her look untouchable.
“Okay,” she said, her voice suddenly crisp, distant. “You go. I’ll take care of Jade. And the ducks.”
Lochlan blinked at her, caught off guard. “Really?”
“Of course.” She stepped closer, running her hands up his chest before resting them at the back of his neck. Her fingers found his hair, twirling the strands in a slow, deliberate way that sent goosebumps racing down his spine.
“I, uh… I left some food in the fridge. For the next few days,” he said, stumbling over the words.
“For the ducks?” she asked, one brow arching in challenge.
“For you.”
Her answering smile was wicked. Dangerous.
“You know,” she said, tugging his hair hard enough to make his breath hitch, “I managed to take care of myself just fine before you came along.”
“And I bet the delivery drivers miss you.” His grin widened as she rolled her eyes, the urge to kiss her nearly overwhelming. “And I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“What about my father?” she asked suddenly, the question sharp enough to catch him off guard.
Lochlan hesitated. “I sent word to his office,” he said carefully, avoiding her gaze.
Her eyes narrowed skeptically. “You sent word?”
“He seemed fine with it,” Lochlan added, guilt twisting like a knife.
