Page 37 of Midwinter Night's Prince

Fuck.

21

COMPANY

The resonant command echoed in his mind over and over. Seth’s claws sharpened over the arms of his seat, digging deep into the velvet cushion.

Later, he told himself. He could go to Aveka later.

His gazed snapped to his feet when he felt something move against him.

The stupid—and stupidly cute—cat. What was its name again?

Get here right now!

Seth groaned. He wasn’t sure how Aveka’s summonses worked so well when every other command she’d attempted to force him to do had been easier to push back against. Perhaps because of the simplicity of the order. He could feel her digging her claws around his resistance. He wouldn’t last long now.

“Seth?”

The whisper drowned out the vestiges of Aveka’s commands, pulling his focus to the girl in his bed.

She yawned, stretching out like a cat as her kitten leaped to join her, quick to abandon Seth as soon as his witch was awake.

“How are you feeling?” Seth rose and took one step, but she shook her head.

“Stay away, I stink!” she announced. Which was hilarious for someone who smelled as delightful as she. “What time is it?”

He had no clue. He’d been so fixated on remaining in control since Aveka had started to call him, time hadn’t seemed to register. His heavy curtains were drawn, but through them, he could see hints of daylight pouring through.

“Not sure. You didn’t tell me how you are.”

“Alive, somehow.” Blair sat up against his pillows and lifted the duvet to look at her wound. “I’m healed. How am I healed?”

The question of the day. Unfortunately, they didn’t have time to discuss it.

“You can’t stay. Aveka’s calling me and she knows you’re here. She’ll have this place surrounded by now. She’s already found her way into the territory more times than I care to count. We have to get you out.”

“No!” She shook her head. “I’m tired of running. I’m tired of all of this.”

“Blair, you don’t seem to understand. Aveka’s calling me. She wants me by her side when she manages to take my soul from you. And then, your friends are going to die, unless you get to safety.”

“You said it yourself. Oldcrest is probably surrounded. If I run, they’ll follow me. I had a head start last time. It’d be stupid.”

She made a fair point.

Blair slid out of his bed, keeping the duvet tucked around her body as she started to remove her clothing underneath. “All of this is gross.” She made a face. “Do you have any clothes around here?”

“Potentially, in one of the guest bedrooms. I can borrow some of Cat’s otherwise.”

Blair snorted. “Like any of Cat’s clothes would fit around my ass.”

There was nothing wrong with Blair’s ass, but it was certainly different from his sister’s. Catarina was all slender limbs, while Blair’s frame was both stronger and softer all at once.

“When you say she’s calling you…”

Seth noted that Aveka’s voice seemed less potent and pressing now that Blair was awake. “She’s summoning me to her. You might know the magic—witches use something like it in covens.”

“So that the head of the coven can contact you at any time.” Blair nodded, sitting back on top of his bed, her clothes pooling on his carpet. “It might be possible to break the spell, so she can’t contact you at a distance. Then all we need to do is make sure you stay away from her in person.”

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