Page 55 of Bound By Roses

“We need information,” Quinn says, beating me to the punch.

The Spider lets out an exaggerated sigh. “That’s what they all say. When you’re a thousand years old, human requests become so boring. What is it you wish to know?”

I let Quinn answer because that was our deal. He needs to be the one to find the answers that will bring him one step closer to vengeance. “Why Imelda came to you. What you told her. What she wanted with my sister.”

The Spider groans. “Always so predictable. What you seek is a secret.”

“Name your price.” She eyes him, not speaking, so after a moment he continues. “That’s how this works, isn’t it? Nothing for free.” That’s why we’d come with a satchel full of gold and jewels, though I don’t know what this woman would want with those. If she’s been alive for a thousand years, she likely has more riches than she’d ever need. And given where and how she lives, I’m not sure she has need for them at all.

“I only trade secrets for secrets.”

Quinn and I share a look before I answer. “I don’t know what we could tell you. You seem to already know everything there is to know about us.”

She smiles a wicked grin. Her teeth are far too white and perfect for someone who lives in a cave and probably doesn’tcare for them. “But do you know everything there is to know about each other?”

Her gaze is locked on me, so I know I’m the one meant to answer. When I glance at Quinn, he’s staring straight ahead at the Spider. He was tense before, but something seems to have changed in him.

“Everything that matters,” I say after a moment. I don’t know why Quinn suddenly looks so nervous, but if he is harbouring a secret, I know it can’t be anything monumental. He wouldn’t keep something important from me.

Her smile somehow widens even further at my answer, and she switches her attention to Quinn. “I will tell you what you seek if you tell your mate the secret you’ve been keeping from her.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

QUINN

The blood drains from my face at the Spider’s offer. A secret for a secret, the truth for the truth. I know what she wants from me, but I can’t force my lips to move. I can’t even turn my head to look at Abby, though I can feel her gaze on me and her curious worry through the bond.

My ears ring. Softly at first, but then it grows louder. So loud that it sounds like screaming.

Like the veil wraiths.

My hands fly to my ears in an attempt to drown out the noise, but it’s not coming from somewhere around me. They’re inside my head. Screaming and crying and singing their deadly song as they hunt for me. The invisible sword dangling above my head swings wildly again, ready to snap at any second.

Abby’s hands are on mine. Her wide blue eyes stare into me, lips moving but no sound is loud enough to overtake the screaming.

Oh, Gods. Make it stop. Please, make it stop!

And then it does.

As quickly as the screaming started, it vanished entirely, leaving me a crumpled mess on the ground. I didn’t evenrealize I’d fallen. The Spider towers above me, laughing wildly to herself.

Abby’s lips are still moving, but I can’t hear her over the pounding of my heart. It’s beating so fast that I feel as if it might burst in my chest with such force that it shatters my bones. I bet the Spider would use them to decorate this place, along with the hundreds of other humans she displays in bits and pieces.

‘Quinn. Talk to me. What’s wrong?’I hear her then, through the bond. Her voice chases away some of the panic, and I find myself enough to clamber to my feet.

‘Nothing. I just… It’s nothing.’

“More lies,” the witch cackles. “I warned you, nothing is private.”

“What did you do to him?!” Abby demands, and Gods, she’s fearless. I bet she’s the first person to so much as raise their voice to the creature in front of us.

“I was just making sure he knewwhichsecret I was referring to.”

Abby’s gaze returns to me. “There’s more than one?”

“No!” I say too quickly. This fucking witch is really starting to piss me off. “There’s one thing I didn’t tell you. Only one.”

The betrayal shining in her eyes tells me that my admission doesn’t make it much better. “Then tell me. You wanted to make this deal, so make it.”

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