“Rough morning?” the vampire asked, settling into the chair across from Brandon's desk with characteristic grace.
Brandon nodded. “You could say that. Are you here for those scrolls Armand requested?”
“Partly. I have news.”
Brandon straightened. “What kind of news?”
“The kind that confirms our worst suspicions.” Jason's expression turned grim. “The Collectors aren’t just circling anymore. They're actively asking questions. Specifically, they've been making inquiries around the Shenandoah pack lands about Muriel. Apparently, one of Lucas's old loyalists—a wolf who's not happy with the pack's current direction—mentioned that she was best pals with Jessie Sablewolf, mate to the Mythic alpha.”
“Shit.” Brandon's magic flared hot and protective. “So they know she's here.”
“Theysuspect. But they don't have confirmation. Your resonance binding is doing its job—masking her signature enough that they can't pinpoint her exact location.” Jason's jaw tightened. “But the moment she has another uncontrolled surge...”
He didn't need to finish. Brandon understood perfectly. One burst of wild magic would be like firing up a signal flare. And if Muriel discovered the truth during a Collector attack—or during a surge—Tedi’s prophesied catastrophe scenario made horrifying sense.
“She's getting better at control,” Brandon said. “The training is working.”
“Good. Keep at it. But Brandon—” Jason moved back toward the desk, his voice dropping. “You need to tell her about the Collectors’ progress too. She deserves to know how close they are, if for no other reason than to keep her from doing something inadvisable.”
“I will.” Another weight on his shoulders. Another truth to deliver. Would fear of the Collectors be enough to keep her here even after he told her about the mate bond?
After Jason left, Brandon sat alone, listening to Muriel moving around upstairs. He could feel her happiness through the bond. Her growing confidence. Her cautious hope that maybe, just maybe, she'd finally found a place where she belonged.
In three days, he'd risk shattering all of that.
Three days before he might lose her forever.
Muriel descendedthe steps with a tray, her smile bright and genuine, though the shadows under her eyes suggested she’d had a restless night too.
“You didn't have to do this,” he said, taking the tray from her.
“Says the man who went out to the diner at midnight to get us dinner,” she said. “Besides, I’m happy to do it. Makes me feel less like a freeloader. Just go with it, okay?”
The simple generosity gutted him. She worried that she was taking advantage of him.
If she only knew.
“Thank you,” he managed.
They sat at the small table, and for a few minutes, ate in companionable silence. Brandon watched her from the corner of his eye—the way she savored each bite, the way her magic hummed contentedly alongside his, the way she belonged here, with him.
“You know, I've been thinking about what Armand said,” Muriel said suddenly. “About theCodexchoosing me.”
Brandon set down his muffin, giving her his full attention. “And?”
“I had another dream last night. Actually, it was more of a vision. A vivid one.” She traced the rim of her water glass. “In this one, there was a woman in a garden, and she was warning me about being hunted by hounds. I don’t know if I’m supposed to take that literally or not.”
“The Collectors are part of the Venatori Division of the Magical Consilium,” Brandon told her. “Venatoriis Latin for hunter.”
“Oh.” Muriel met his eyes. “She said something else too. About trust. About bonds being written in stars and sealed in blood but trust still needing to be earned.”
The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Written in stars and sealed in blood. Was theCodextelling Murielabout the mate bond? Or was it warning her about something else entirely?
“What do you think it means?” he asked carefully.
“I don't know.” Frustration edged her voice. “That's the problem with dreams and visions. They're not straightforward.”
“You should talk to Tedi.” His lips twisted in a wry smile. “Welcome to the world of divination.”