Page 59 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

“I’m listening.”

“You're not going to like it,” he warned.

“Something I like less than wearing this? Doubtful.” I squeezed his hand playfully, but when he met my gaze, he didn’t smile. “Ah hell, you're serious.” I blew out a sharp breath. “Okay, what is it?”

“A blood oath.”

I squinted at him. “What’s a blood oath? I’m not familiar with it.”

The intensity of his stare made me want to squirm, and not because I was uncomfortable. “It’s a vow forged with blood magic. You can only form two in your life, and they are permanent.”

“As in lasts the entirety of our incredibly long lives?” My voice sounded breathy, even to my own ears. The warmth that was coiling low in my belly dissipated beneath the anxiety.

Vareck nodded. He released my hands and tugged off one of his gloves. The red tattoo I’d noticed before took on a new meaning.

“I’ve already forged one—with Kaia. You would be the only other person I would have this with, if you agreed.”

A minute passed, then two. What he was talking about sounded serious. I mean, it was permanent. You don’t get much more serious than that. Marriages could be undone, even tattoos could be removed, but this couldn’t.

I should say no. Damon needed to be found, but this was asking too much.

I opened my mouth to decline, except those weren’t the words that came out. “What exactly does this do? Will I still have free will?”

“Of course,” he answered without hesitation. Something dark flashed through his gaze and he looked away. “I wouldnevertake away your will. I want you to trust that, just like I want to trust you. This lets us have that.” He turned back to me, and whatever ire he felt about my question wasn’t in his eyes anymore. “A blood oath prevents us from betraying each other or knowingly causing harm.”

“That’s very . . . broad.”

A slight smirk quirked his lips. “Much like your contracts. It’s a magical binding that is set around intention.”

“Would I be forced to tell you the truth about everything?” I knew how it sounded. Guilty as fuck. But there was more than just our situation with Damon to consider. If this lasted forever, it would surpass our partnership in finding his nephew.

Vareck hesitated. “Yes and no. Inconsequential things, trivial lies, those usually aren’t affected because it’s not a betrayal. Something larger, like telling me you won’t disappear on me—that would require the truth. Blood oaths aren’t an exact science. Magic rarely is. But let me ask you this, could you honestly see me and Kaia doing one if it would take away our choices or trap us?”

“No.” I didn’t even have to think about it. While I’d only met Kaia a few times, it was pretty clear that she would never let someone take advantage of her that way. “Just to be clear, this won’t let you control me in any way? I can’t betray you or do something that I know would hurt you, but that’s all?”

Vareck dipped his chin. “You want the necklace off. This would allow me to do that without having to question your motives or what you’ll do when it’s gone.”

I mulled that over. “What about after we get Damon back? What does this sort of oath look like then? Does it prevent me from returning home?”

“No. Kaia has traveled to earth and a few other realms several times over the years. It doesn’t force a certain proximity.”

I blew out a breath. This is a terrible idea. Sadie wouldtell me to let Damon rot before committing to something like this.

But I wasn’t my sister.

And for reasons I wasn’t ready to acknowledge, I wanted to trust Vareck. The oath went both ways. I couldn’t lie to him about important shit, but he also couldn’t lie to me.

Fuck it.

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

Chapter 19

Meera

Something went wrong.

I paced the room furiously, back and forth. I had folded all of my clothes, arranged all of my books alphabetically, changed my outfit twice, and ran my hands through my hair so many times I’d probably need to wash it again soon.

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