“That wasSisterAgatha—she’s been trying to catch me doing something wrong ever since the other girls all got themselves pregnant,”Iexplain.Ifeel my cheeks get hot whenIremember exactly what she caught me doing.
“Well, she succeeded,” he says simply.“Nowwhat?Iwant you to know, you can stay here—at least for a while.IwishIcould offer you more than that but…”
He trails off, a troubled look on his face.I’mtempted to ask, “but, what?”However,Ican see that something’s bothering him andIdecide not to.
“Thank you,”Isay instead.“That’sso kind of you.”
He laughs harshly.
“That’s right—I’ma really kind male.Lettingyou suck my cock and getting you thrown out of the temple.”
I feel my cheeks heat again at his blunt words.
“That wasn’t your fault,”Isay in a low voice.“Itwas the curse.Ifyou hadn’t helped me when you did…”Ishake my head.“Iwas going mad—losing myself in the curse,”Isay.“Ihonestly didn’t thinkIcould stand it—Iwas having thoughts of…of…ending myself.”
Theron’s tarnished silver eyes widen, and he grips my shoulders.Leaningdown, he holds my gaze with his own.
“Never talk that way, do you understand me, little one?Never!”
His eyes flash pure silver for a moment and his voice drops to a low, inhuman growl.Couldthat be hisDraketalking through him?Idon’t know enough aboutDrakeShiftersto be sure, but it sounded like it.
“I’m sorry—Iwas just in so much pain—so muchneed,”Itell him.“OfcourseIdon’t really want to hurt or end myself, butIdon’t know what to do now.”Isigh and shake my head.“Ijust wishIcould work theTimeWeavingspell.IfIcould just go back and stop all this before it ever happened…”
“Stop it before it happened?”Hefrowns.“Howwould you do that?Andwhat’s a ‘TimeWeaving’ spell?”
“It’s this spellIfound in theForbiddenGrimoirebeforeGrizalyncame and stole it,”Iexplain.“Itallows whoever works it to go back to a specific time in the past to change something.”
“And what would you change?”he asks, raising an eyebrow.
“I’d go back to the night thatMirabellabullied me and the other girls into going toGrizalyn’shouse to steal her wish flowers andIwouldn’t let her make me go.”Itake another sip of the sweet tea, feeling a surge of anger for my past self.“Iwas weak and stupid—Iknew it was a bad idea.Inever should have allowed her to drag me along!”
“Mirabella is the one we saw atTheAnvil?”he asks.
I nod.
“Yes, that’s her.Butthat’s not the first time she…you know, went with a male.”
“It’s not?”Botheyebrows shoot up this time.“Ithought priestesses were supposed to stay pure.”
“Weare,”Isay.“Andanyone can tell if we’re not because our eyes change from blue to green.ButMirabellahad some kind of magical eye drops that allowed her to do, uh, pretty much whatever she wanted to.Untilthe witch cursed us, that is.”
“Because the curse means instant pregnancy,” he rumbles.
“Yes,”Isay in a small voice.“Whichwould beawful.”
“I know you don’t want that.”Hecups my cheek and swipes at my cheek, andIrealizeI’mcrying again.
“It’s all right, baby—Itold you, that’s not going to happen,” he murmurs.“Iwon’t let it happen to you.”
“Thank you.”IfindIcan’t hold his gaze—the look in his eyes is so intense it makes the need in me start to grow again.I’mthinking of how hot and hard he felt in my mouth…and how good his seed tasted.“ButIdon’t know whatI’mgoing to do.Ifeel sostuck.”
“Well, fuck…”Heruns a hand over his horns again.“Whatabout that spell you were talking about?Theone to turn back time?”
I shake my head.
“It sounds good but it’s completely impossible.Inorder to work it,I’dhave to gather four elements from the four corners of the land and then bring them all to theKing’sCourtto work the spell.”
I expect him to agree with me that it must be impossible, butTheronsurprises me by asking,