Page 174 of Esperance

He eyed her. “And you decided to bring something like that home with you?”

Her cheeks colored. “I didn’t think too much about it at the time.”

“Considering everything that’s happened, we should probably think about it now.” He took the amulet back from her—there was no glow when he touched it, though the gemstone remained red. “You said when you touched it in the library, you felt a flood of power, right?”

“Yes. I also heard a voice in my head.”

“A voice? From the bloodstone?”

“Yes.”

His eyes narrowed. “I don’t like that.”

She gave an almost laugh, though it was weak. “Neither do I.”

“Did you hear any voices just now when you touched it?”

“No, but . . . it feels different than it did when the gemstone was black. And it never glowed like that before when I touched it. Not until last night, when I was using my healing ability.” She studied the amulet in his hand. “It did more than amplify my powers. It’s like it . . . woke up inside me. Almost like there was more than just me inside my body.”

“I’m not finding any of this comforting,” he told her.

She met his gaze. “Felinus said we should destroy it. But I’m not sure we should—not until we learn more. I don’t even know if wecandestroy it.”

“What do you mean? I could toss it in a fire. Melt it down.”

She shook her head slowly. “I don’t think that will work. The necklace is tarnished, so I think that could be destroyed, but whatever a bloodstone is . . . it’s alive. I think it was asleep when I found it, but now it’s awake. And I don’t think it’s going to die without a fight.”

These supernatural matters were far beyond his realm of experience. “Whatever you think we should do with the disturbing bloodstone, I’m with you.”

She took a moment to consider things. “I think we should learn more about it. And we need to keep it a secret. It can’t fall into the wrong hands.”

“Done.” He set it on top of Von’s journal. “Can I ask that you avoid touching it, though? I don’t want any voices or entities in your body—only you.”

She shivered once. “I don’t know why, but before now, nothing about the amulet scared me. The hum I felt from it was comforting. Now . . . there’s a pulsing. Almost like a heartbeat.”

Now he was sort of wishing he’d thrown it in the fire.

“It’s strange,” she said, her voice musing. “I had the bloodstone with me when I healed Ivan, but nothing strange happened then. No rush of power, no voice—nothing but the soft hum. And there was nothing as I was healing you until I touched the stone. That’s when it changed colors, too.”

“Wait.” Carver’s spine straightened. “You healedIvan?”

She nodded. “On Zawri.”

Saints, this woman would be the death of him. “Does he know you healed him?”

She looked a little sheepish. “I don’t know. I haven’t confirmed anything, but . . .”

“The Wolf Salute.” He muttered a curse as he remembered that moment on the dance floor. “He may not understand how, but he knows you saved his life. And that means he could turn you in.”

“I don’t think he will. He said he owes me a debt. Although, since he helped save me from Marriset, he might consider us even now.”

Carver rubbed his aching temples.

The corner of her mouth lifted. “You’re worried about me.”

He grunted. “You’ve taken years off my life already.”

“Sorry.” But she was still smiling.

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