Page 58 of Keeping Sarah

I settled back onto the pillows. “If you don’t mind.”

“Of course not. I will go pester Drift.”

As he walked away, I noted his limp, no doubt from the magician’s curse. His every hobbled step hurt my heart.

Once he was gone, I tried to rest and sleep, but I couldn’t stop thinking. It wasn’t a problem I was used to. I preferred to let Deacon do the strategizing between us. But the room’s silence was filled by too many thoughts.

What if Sarah is still back in that cave? What if she’s with Rex? Why would she have willingly gone to him? Have they been intimate?The last question made me choke on my water.

I trusted Sarah. Sarah was an honorable person. Sarah was not a cheater.

But Rex on the other hand…

Rex Terian would do anything he wanted at any time to get what he desired. Rex was a piece of shit, and if she was under his influence like he was some mind-controlling drug, then Omen was right—I couldn’t blame Sarah for what she did when she was tainted by him. But that was easier said than done.

I closed my eyes and tried not to think of them together that way. The idea of her and him being intimate made me sick to my stomach, and my stomach was already empty. My head throbbed from it all, and I was so tired. Ever since…well, I couldn’t think of when I had a good night of sleep in recent memory. Or really,ever. The thought of a whole night of quality sleep was like the Tooth Fairy or the Oakevy—a fairytale.

“Jac, wake up. We are here,” Deacon said as he stood over me.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes, realizing that I’d finally passed out at some point. “Sorry—"

“Do not be. I am glad to see you get some rest.”

But it didn’t feel like I had rested. If anything, I was more exhausted by the short nap than when I had dozed off. I scraped myself together and found out Helios was on his way to greet us.

“That guy again?” I grumbled.

“I am afraid so,” Deacon said, sounding just as annoyed. “He insists we need a chaperone to the manor.”

“He did that last time, too. Get ready for some whining.”

When the toady came on board, he sighed as soon as he saw me. “You did not call ahead.Again. Honestly, don’t you people have manners?”

“Nope. Fresh out,” I said.

He rolled his eyes. “Very well. Where is your cockpit? I’ll give directions to your pilot. At leastthisship is worthy of flying to my master’s home.”

I glared at the little asshole. “Be glad I feel like shit, or I’d lay you out for that.”

He looked me up and down, before he smirked at me. “Get your ass handed to you, Cozz?”

“I’m a big enough man to admit when someone bested me. Yeah. Lesson learned.” I jammed my hands on my hips. “Don’t fuck with themagicians.”

His face withered. “Uh, yes, very good advice. I wish you a speedy recovery.” Then he minced down the hallway to where he must have thought the cockpit was.

I looked to Deacon. “He took off like his tail was on fire. What was that about?”

Deacon grinned. “I would imagine he has dealt with magicians himself and it did not go well, though I am curious to know what his interaction was, particularly since he survived it, and Helios does not strike me as a survivor.”

I nodded, and Helios returned to us once we were in the air again. Boldly, I asked him, “Care to tell us about your history with magicians?”

A startled look passed over his features. “No. Why? What have you heard?”

“Nothing.” I shrugged. “You just seemed awful jumpy when I mentioned them.”

A spark of fear flashed in his eyes. “Some people say that if you speak of their kind too frequently, they will appear and kill you.”

I laughed. “They’re not the Candyman.”

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