Page 44 of Blood Currents
“Promise me,” I said finally, my voice low.“Whatever I tell you stays between us.”
“I promise.”
The words hit something old.A memory—us at eight years old, sneaking into Uncle Timothy’s study.I’d knocked over some priceless crystal relic from a long-dead fire mage.Shattered it.She’d taken the blame without blinking, sat through the lecture about being more careful with family heirlooms.She never told them it was my fault.
Aurora had always kept my secrets.She’d keep this one too.
“Keane isn’t a traitor.”
Aurora’s expression didn’t change.“I expected that.”
I blinked.“You did?”
“Keane Alstone was never political enough to commit treason.And the crimes they accused him of made no sense.”She leaned forward.“What really happened?”
“His uncle has been experimenting on him.Corrupting his magic.”
“Experimenting how?”
I let out a sharp breath and then I told her everything.
Aurora went very still.
“We found him,” I continued.“Marigold and me.We’ve been healing him, session by session, trying to undo what was done.But there’s more.”
“More?”
“A conspiracy.Council members working with vampires.Experiments on heirs.A cover-up going back twenty years.”The words came faster now.“There’s a witness.Someone who has proof of what they’ve done.We’re going to find him over winter break.”
“That’s why you looked like hell last night,” Aurora said slowly.“You found this witness?”
“We found the person who could connect us to him.Guard Parker.She’s been gathering evidence for months, maybe years.”I flexed my hands, watching blue fire dance across my knuckles.“The council arrested her last night.”
Aurora’s magic brightened, warm gold cutting through the December wind.“And you’re leaving over winter break.All of you.To find this witness.”
“Someone has to.If we don’t—”
“Keane will be alone.”Understanding dawned in her expression.“Vulnerable.”
“That’s the problem.If we’re all gone, if something happens while we’re not here—”
“I’ll stay.”No hesitation.“I’ll watch over him.Keep him safe.”
“You don’t understand what you’re volunteering for.If they realize what we’ve been doing—”
“I understand enough.”Her voice was firm, our combined magic creating a barrier of warmth against the cold.“You’ve been fighting so hard you’ve forgotten the rest of us can fight too.Keane doesn’t deserve what happened to him.And if this is my chance to finally do something that matters instead of just being the weird Raynoff cousin, I’ll take it.”
I stared at her.
“Besides,” Aurora added, “Marigold will never forgive herself if something happens to him while she’s gone.You know that.”
The truth of it hit me square in the chest.
“You’ve always been too good for this family,” I muttered.
“Don’t let it go to your head.”Her smile grew warmer.“But, Cyrus?About Marigold—whatever happened between you two last night, whatever you’re afraid you’ve messed up—she cares about you too.”
“It’s complicated.”
