Page 90 of Bound By Roses

Ty is not at all comfortable with what he’s seeing. As if to highlight that, he opens his mouth again. “His-history re-repeats.” He stutters. “Find the t-truth. Ar-chives.”

“Archives?”

“It’s nonsense,” Tess assures me, but that was oddly specific.

“C-cave of fa-faces. M-mother.”

The man whimpers, and Tess shushes in his ear. “It’s alright.”

“Would giving him Morati Eternus help?” I don’t want to watch him suffer anymore.

“I don’t think so, dear. A change like this needs to be ridden out. He will survive if he chooses life, and that’s a choice that can’t be made while he sleeps.” Her eyes move to Quinn and she, too, must notice how pale he’s gotten because she ushers us both towards the door. “There’s nothing either of you can do here. I’ll stay with him and send word the moment he comes out of it.”

Ifhe comes out of it.

Quinn doesn’t move, so I take his hand in mine and pull him gently through the door. I don’t speak until we’re farther down the hall. “Are you okay?” He watched his mother die of a fever, so this is definitely a trigger for him. “I know that must have been hard, but—”

He cuts me off. “What did he say about the veil?”

“You heard Tess. He was hallucinating.”

He grips my arm gently and stops walking. “Stabby, please. Tell me what he said.”

I’m not sure why he’s asking, but if he’s looking for a distraction, I will not be the one to deny him that.

“He said he saw someone shrouded in shadow. When I asked if it was Void, he said no. Then he said something bad was coming from the veil. That’s it.” I can tell his mind is whirring, but I don’t know why this matters. “What’s going on?”

He runs a hand through his hair. “I’m probably wrong, but I need to know for sure. Will you come with me?”

“Of course I will, but where are we going?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

QUINN

Itake Abby by the hand and lead her through the tunnels, up that Gods awful staircase, and through the ruins until we make it to the beach. I haven’t told her where we’re going yet because I don’t want her to talk me out of it. Not that she would, but I might talk myself out of it.

A quick glance up to the sun tells me we should have enough time to make it before nightfall, but only if we leave right now.

“No training today,sir?” a mocking voice calls out to me. Just what I need. I don’t stop to acknowledge the small group of sirens. Most have been willing participants in training, but others… Well, they’ve been less willing.

“Consider yourselves lucky. Lessons resume tomorrow.”

The tallest of them blocks my path. I let go of Abby’s hand in case I need it because I am not in the mood for this. The taste of that Guardian’s blood still coats my tongue and his scream still rings in my ears. The only thing keeping me calm right now is the possibility that Evan was sending me a message through him. I need to get to that cave, and if this man doesn’t get the fuck out of my way, he’s not going to like what happens.

“You took off pretty fast last night and made quite the scene.”

“Your point?” I ask through gritted teeth. The wolf is still strong in me.

Calm down.

The man shrugs and gestures to one of the other two smirking bastards. “You know, Tate here is an influencer.” I didn’t know, but right now I don’t give a shit. “He can manifest a person’s greatest fears. Do you want to see?”

“How ‘bout it, Prince?” the man I can only assume is Tate jeers.

I step around the living roadblock. “No thanks. I prefer to keep my fears to myself.”

The larger man grabs hold of my wrist. “I thought we were allies. Fear may be weakness, but should we not know where the kinks in our allies’ armour is?”

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