Page 98 of Desire

No one answered. Even I could not understand why Maeve chose to cast another spell when I already couldn’t speak of her ill deeds. Edmund was right. If I had been close to gaining the help I needed, why spare me? Not that I felt spared.

Darian carefully set me on the mattress and kissed my forehead.

A tingle of energy swept through me, and for a moment, I felt my eyelids move. But the sensation disappeared when he retreated.

“If we were close, we should continue as we were,” Liam said.

The heat from the fire warmed me as they took turns washing and discussing what to do about the mine. Garron was certain it was safe to return to it and didn’t understand how the collapse happened in the first place.

“We have enough from yesterday for another delivery,” Liam said. “It’s not safe to leave Kellen, though. Look what happened when our backs were turned.”

“They were more than turned,” Brandle said, frustration lacing his words.

Their emotions fed the storm growing inside my well.

“It’s no longer safe to remain here if she knows where we are,” Edmund said.

I could feel the edge of his temper bubbling beneath the surface. His fingers traced over my face, and his lips brushed mybrow. A tingle of energy washed through me. I grabbed onto it, but too late. It disappeared with his retreat.

Frustration—my own—surged, demanding to be answered.

I opened my senses, checking for Maeve again. Hundreds of beasts continued to hamper her progress. I felt no remorse for my fervent hope that they’d kill her before she reached the edge of the forest. Yet, I couldn’t risk attempting to free myself while she remained close.

“Lamb,” Daemon said. “Please open those beautiful eyes of yours.”

This time, when his hand slipped under my skirt to stroke my leg, I was ready for the tingle of energy. Seizing it, I tried to open my eyes.

“Did you see that?” Daemon said. “Her lashes moved.”

“Kitten?” Brandle called. His hand cupped my face.

I latched onto his energy and added it to the rest. My eyelids weakly obeyed my will; however, rather than opening, they fluttered twice before stilling.

“They moved,” Eadric said. “I think she’s awake. Remember? She said she could hear us the last time this happened.”

“The last time, our amulets glowed when we touched her. This is a different spell,” Garron said.

“Can you hear us, Kitten?” Brandle asked. His fingers trailed over my brow as Daemon massaged my foot.

I fought to open my eyes again, but the energy wasn’t enough. I needed more and sought to pull a small amount from the area around me. Certainly, Maeve wouldn’t sense something so minute. Yet, when I tried to draw from the floor, the earth, or even the air around us, I couldn’t touch it.

Trapped inside myself, I screamed my anger.

The plates on the shelves rattled.

“Sheisawake,” Eadric said.

Brandle’s lips brushed my cheek. “We won’t leave you, Kitten. Not this time.” His mouth settled on mine, and I felt his need to protect me…to avenge me…to never let me go. I wished more than anything I could do the same for him.

The need to lift my hands, run my fingers through his hair, and kiss him in return consumed me.

“Her fingers moved,” Garron said.

I could feel him kneel beside me as Brandle lifted his head.

Garron held my hand. “You’re stronger than you know, Snow. Fight the spell she cast on you. You can break it and free yourself. I know you can.”

“Break it, then break the one holding us,” Darian said.

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