Page 52 of Captivating Magic

“I’d double down anyway,” Castor retorted.

“Are they always like this?” Ebba laughingly asked Alastair.

“Yes. It’s a trial.”

Her giggle brought a smile to everyone’s lips.

The skin along Laszlo’s neck prickled, and he cast a searching glance around the room.

Spencer watched them with hatred tempered only by envy. Was it their effortless magic he coveted or the easy friendship?

The man’s ire was redirected, and Lo got a sinking feeling when his gaze locked on Ebba. The jealousy was associated withher! Had he fallen for her only to be rebuffed? She’d said she was ending things the night of the accident. Perhaps there was more to the incident than they’d believed. Spencer’s reasons for hanging on could have more to do with unrequited love than any attempt to prolong his life.

“What the fuck are you staring at?” he growled, finally noticing Lo’s attention on him.

“You.”

There was no heat in his answer, and confusion shone on Spencer’s face.

Laszlo approached the bed.

“You can’t have her,” he said quietly. “Even if she did love you—which she doesn’t—your life has ended. Your body cannot be revived.”

“I’ll keep this one, and she’ll remain repulsed by you with me at the helm.”

“Spencer. Come on, man. You know that’s not cool.”

Sullen, the guy shrugged. “Cool or not, she’s mine.”

“No. She was mine from the start,” Laszlo said as Ebba joined him and clasped his hand. “And I was hers.”

Alastair came to stand on the opposite side of her. “You can’t fight the pull of soulmates, Mr. Barlowe. Their bond is too strong, and that’s to say nothing of the Fates’ design. As a witch, you should know this.”

“Who said I was a witch?” Spencer snarled.

“Aren’t you?” Ebba asked, inching forward.

Laszlo tugged her back. “Careful, Sweet.”

A knock sounded.

“It’s the cops,” Castor said in an aside. “Quick, everyone form a line and hide our prisoner so it doesn’t look like we’re doing shady shit.”

“How does he?—”

Alastair pressed a hand to Ebba’s shoulder, silencing her. “He’s teasing. The presence on the other side of your door is magical in nature.”

She shot the Traveler a glare. “Tool.”

“Your face was priceless, Dorothy,” he tossed over his back as he strode to admit the newcomer.

Clutch stepped over the threshold, followed by Wilder, and Laszlo couldn’t have been more surprised by seeing his brother than if someone had taken a tire iron to his kneecaps.

“Wilder?”

His brother’s frowning glance around the room deepened when it landed on the bed. “I didn’t know y’all were into weird sex games. I’ll show myself out.”

“Stay!” Ebba surged forward, causing Wilder to do a double take.

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