Page 23 of Foretold

He runs a hand through his hair but stays silent, letting me continue, “And now I’ve found my own family. My father. My brothers. And my best friend, who you wouldn’t let me see before. Iwon’tbe taken from them.”

“You aren’t living in their kingdom,” he snaps, touching my cheek and then lifting my face to study me while taking a shaky breath. “I fucked up, and I’m sorry I’ve made you feel like this isn’t your home. But it is. Your home is wherever I am. And I’m not letting you go, Astrid. I don’t give a fuck who I have to destroy.”

“And what if it’s me you destroy?” I whisper, my eyes narrowing.

His eyes slam shut, then open slowly. “What are you proposing?”

“I’m free to zip between the kingdoms. No war. No one gets hurt. I’ll visit my family, and I will always come back to you.”

His thumb strokes my cheek gently. “You’re asking me to let my heart go wander, not knowing how safe it will be.”

“You should have taken better care of your heart, or it wouldn’t want to wander,” I fire back, and he flinches.

“How long are you going to keep punishing me for this?” he asks softly, and there’s a flash of vulnerability in his gaze beforehe masks it.

“You can stop hurting when I do,” I reply, keeping my expression neutral.

He leans down and rests his forehead against mine. “As long as you are here.”

Misery loves company.

“I’ll go and see my father tomorrow and let him know I’m okay,” I tell him, and his head lifts, a shadow sliding across his face.

“You’ll stay with me tonight… in our bed. I need you next to me,” he demands, and I nod slowly.

As much as I hate Rave right now, the bond wants me near him.

But if he thinks anything more is happening, he’s in for a surprise.

No vision will be coming true this evening.

Because if anyone knows how to hold a grudge, it’s me.

CHAPTER TEN

Astrid

“Good morning, baby,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head. Opening my eyes, I realize, after starting out the night on the edge of the opposite side of the bed, that I’m now firmly on his side, my thigh between his, head on his bare shoulder. Lifting my head, I try to move away from him, but he tightens his hold.

“That was the best sleep I’ve had in days.”

It was mine, too, but I wasn’t about to admit that.

“I have to go see Zython,” I say, but Rave simply holds me against him, sighing deeply.

“I’m going to zip with you there so I know you’re safe.”

“Rave—”

“Nonnegotiable. I won’t stay… I’ll just deliver you to him,” he says, pushing my long, brown hair off my face. “We have a meeting with my father today about the war with the vampires. We need to decide if we will keep defending our lands or enter their territory to attack.”

I don’t know why he’s suddenly so open with information, but maybe he is trying to include me and make me feel like I belong here again.

“Or you could tell your father to stop fucking the Vampire Queen and give her back to her king,” I reply without thinking.

Rave stills. “What did you say?”

Shit.I didn’t tell Rave about what I saw in my vision because I’d have no way of explaining how I knew that. Taking my time stretching, trying to come up with something to say, I decide on, “I just heard that perhaps the Fae King and the Vampire Queen are lovers. So, this war we’re all fighting is really just a lovers’ dispute.”

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