Page 74 of Baneful Magick

“So we’re…”

“Mates? Yes.”

“Did you get one too?”

After a brief pause, then he let the illusion magick fade away and held out a skeletal hand. My eyes widened in shock when they spotted what looked to be vines carved into his hand.

My eyes flicked up to his, and the grim expression there made my stomach twist into knots. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, Bones,” I started, trying to reassure him.

“Regretting me already, Isla?” he asked, his voice dripping with venom.

“No!” I shot back, narrowing my eyes on the fae.

“You can’t control who you bond with,” he replied dryly.

“What I wastryingto say was that I didn’t want to bond with you when you can’t consent to it,” I told him stiffly, looking around for my clothes. With jerky movements, I put them on, ignoring his cum dripping down my inner thigh.

“Isla…”

“What?” I shot back, glaring at him.

“Magick is in charge of the bonding,” Bones said softly, squinting in my direction. “There is no warning for anyone involved in it.”

I sighed heavily as I looked around until I found his glasses. Grabbing them, I gently held them out to Bones. He murmured thanks before slipping them on. Bones remained quiet as he got dressed and sat down beside me again. We stared ahead rather than looking at each other.

“What now?” I asked for the second time today. Internally, I braced myself, fearing that he would avoid the question like Echo had.

“We’ll have to figure that out. Together,” he replied. “Good luck to you.”

I burst out laughing, and the sound turned to hiccups as tears stung my eyes. Finally, I turned into him. It was so easy to snuggle into his side, and it broke me when he hesitated before slowly wrapping an arm around me.

Whatever made him so hesitant to show affection made me want to hunt down and kill whoever had hurt him. Tears fellas I took every bit of comfort he offered. There were so many emotions and questions tangled up inside me.

What about Echo? What had passed between us wasn’t just nothing. I knew witches had multiple partners, but what did others do? I needed to figure that out soon.

“I think you’re the one who needs good luck,” I managed once I could talk again. “I have no idea what’s going on.”

“Even better then. We’re on even footing.”

We were totally going to fuck up, but as I leaned back to look at the fae I’d found myself bound to, I didn’t feel an ounce of regret.

Just as I was about to kiss Bricriu, a hum filled the silence.Shit, Demir’s note.Bones turned, looking toward my backpack, and I grabbed the enchanted paper from a pocket with a mumbled curse.

I scanned the notes a few times, and my jaw dropped in shock when the words really sunk in.

“What is it?”

“It’s my mom… She’s pissed.”

Chapter 28

Echo

THURSDAY

Icollapsed on my bed, ignoring every ache that radiated in my bones. Despair was trying to take over, but I couldn’t let it. When Isla walked out, I knew I had fucked up.Badly.I’d just needed some time to recover from the rut, wrap my mind around the fact that she wasn’t dead like all my previous partners, and come to terms with being with her in the first place.

But she left. Ran, actually.

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