Page 23 of Enemies By Fate

I hang up, and Asher chuckles. “You didn’t say her name.”

“Didn’t I?” I ask innocently.

He rises from the couch and sticks out his hand to take the phone from me, and I hold it back.

“Can I call my best friend? I promised to check in with her, too.”

Asher nods, dropping his hands. “Of course.”

Biting on my lower lip, I struggle to remember Circe’s number from memory.

“Hello?” Circe answers right away, and I exhale with relief.

“Hi,” I say, and she whimpers.

“Holy shit, Poppy. Where are you? What happened? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” I tell her quickly, shooting Asher a quick look. “I wanted to tell you not to worry. I left Mom a message too.”

My friend hesitates and immediately picks up on the odd phrasing.

“Mom?!” Circe echoes. “You’re in trouble, aren’t you? Did they capture you? Are you in Oak Valley? Oh gods, I knew they would do something awful to you!”

“I really can’t talk now,” I tell her.

“I told you not to go, Poppy!” she sobs. “What the hell were you thinking? I’m going to gather the coven?—”

“No! Don’t!” I urge her, turning my back on Asher so he doesn’t overhear. “I’ll be home as soon as I can. Don’t do anything. Promise me, Cir?—”

I choke off her name before I can say it aloud, sneaking a look over my shoulder at Asher, who is hanging on every word.

“Poppy—”

“I’ll contact you again when I can,” I tell her. “I swear, everything will be all right. Goodbye.”

I hang up before Circe can protest again and quickly delete the phone numbers before handing the phone back to Asher. His grin widens when he realizes what I’ve done with the numbers, but he makes no comment and slips the cell into his pocket.

“Someone will bring you dinner soon,” he promises, heading toward the door.

“You?” I ask hopefully.

“You want it to be me?”

I shrug, cocking my head demurely. “Better you than Malachi.”

“He doesn’t trust you… yet.”

A burst of hope ignites inside me. “You think he might learn to trust me?” I ask, unsure if that’s what I want from him—or any of them. All I know is that my guard is lowering bit by bit with every visit.

“That depends on what we learn about you.” He reaches for the door handle and hesitates. “Warrick agreed to let you speak with the prisoner tomorrow. He’ll be brought out of the underground cells, though. You’re not going back down there.”

Stunned, I gape at him.

“That’s—that’s amazing. Thank you!” I breathe happily.

“We’ll be listening in,” Asher warns. “And if you try to escape, or help him try to escape?—”

“What? No! I won’t! I don’t even know him!” I promise. “But…”

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