Page 41 of Bound By Roses

Imelda.

“She’s the one who cursed me, isn’t she?”

Abby and I whip around at the sound of Jade’s voice. “Where the fuck did you come from?” I ask, more angry at myself for not hearing him enter than I am at him for being here.

He’s too busy staring into the eyes of our enemy—our aunt—to acknowledge our reaction to his presence. I should have been paying more attention. It’s a mistake I won’t be making again.

“Yes,” Abby says, answering his question before I can calm myself enough to do so. “She cursed us all.”

At least he hasn’t lost all of his memories. Maybe there’s still hope.

His eyes slide along the carving and settle on another face. “That’s the woman who says she’s my mother.”

“That’s right. Aurelia is your mother,” I say, touching a hand to the carving and then sliding it to the right. “And this is Sierra. My mother.”

Understanding seems to flicker in his face as the same realization that shocked me to my core only a few days ago is revealed to him. He takes it much better than I did and looks almost as if he doesn’t care that we’re family.

“And her?” he growls. I don’t need to see where he’s pointing to know which carving he’s talking about.

“Her name is Imelda. She’s not only the witch who cursed us, but she’s apparently our aunt.” Which I’m never going to get over. I get why Aurelia didn’t want to tell me herself, but what the actual fuck?

“I want to kill her.”

My laugh is dark. “Get in line.”

Abby takes a cautious step forward, and I don’t miss the slight narrowing of Jade’s eyes when his attention falls upon her. “Can I talk to you for a minute? Privately.”

That question is as much for me as it is for him. There was a time I trusted Jade with her life entirely, but that time has passed. I don’t sense the same malice in him that I did when he first woke, but he’s not the dragon we knew.

His eyes flick to mine and the grin he flashes me is almost taunting. “You don’t trust me.”

“You haven’t exactly given me a reason to.”

He nods towards the exit of the tunnel. “There’s an incline a short walk passed the entrance that will take you to the top of the cliff. It’s relatively sheltered from the wind, so your fire shouldn’t go out in the night. You won’t find a better place to camp and the sun is already setting.”

Of that, I’m well aware. The yellow light that has been flooding this cave has turned orange, and soon there won’t beany light at all. “How do I know you’re not just trying to get rid of me?”

“I’m not the one who requested a private audience.” He must still see the distrust on my face because he rolls his eyes. “If I wanted to kill her, I would have while your backs were turned.”

I sigh and turn to Abby.‘Are you sure you want to trust him?’

‘There are things I need to say and I don’t think I can say them with you next to me.’

There was a time those words would have cut me to my core, but they have no effect on me now. I know she wants to apologize to him, and if this will help her heal from the trauma of that night, then I’m not going to stand in her way.

‘Take your time. You know where I’ll be if you need me.’

Jade doesn’t so much as look impatient as I move for the exit, though he takes a step to the side to give me space. It was a calculated action, and although he seems to have gained enough control over his flame not to burn through the pants he wears—though what happened to his missing shirt, I can’t be sure—he’s clearly avoiding physical contact. That alone is a good sign. If he wanted to hurt either of us, it would be all too easy. Maybe that’s why he found himself in a cave surrounded by water. There’ll be no accidental fire-starting here.

At least, I hope not.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ABBY

Iwait long enough to be sure Quinn is out of earshot before I dare speak to Jade. It’s not that I’m keeping secrets from him. I just need to be focusing on Jade alone if I’m going to get these words out. Even now, standing face to face in this cave, I don’t know where to begin.

I’ve been trying to figure out what to say to him for weeks. Everything he’s going through now is my fault, and I can’t blame him for being angry with me.

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