Page 57 of Captivating Magic

Casting a wary look at the rest of them, she nodded. “If it will help Abbie, yes.”

“Excellent. Have a seat, my dear.”

21

The sensation of something rooting around in Ebba’s brain was disconcerting. She didn’t want to liken the process to worms crawling through underground passages, but she had no other fitting comparison. When he’d retrieved what he was after, Damian sat back and looked at Wilder.

“It’s not purgatory,” he said before adding, “We’ll find Abigail.”

He didn’t wait for Wilder’s grateful nod before turning back to Ebba. “Ready?”

“I don’t think so,” she croaked.

“What do you need?”

“To say goodbye to Laszlo. Just a few minutes.”

“Of course.” He rose and gestured to the others to give Lo and her privacy.

“Lo, if I don’t make it?—”

“Ebba, stop. You will.”

“But if I don’t, I want you to know I was never mad at you for choosing Charlotte. Disappointed, yes, because I wanted you to pick me, but I wasn’t angry at you for it.”

“I know, Sweet.” He wove his fingers into her curls and tipped her head back. “But I love you in a way I could never love her, and I can’t imagine a world without you in it. Having said that, you need to do whatever it takes to survive.”

Their metaphysical bond had fused completely, revealing the truth of his words. Those strands were a starburst of happy colors with gray threads of sadness woven in. Still, she wanted him to be okay.

The smile she sent him was wry. “Don’t be overly dramatic, babe. Six months ago, you didn’t know I was alive.”

“Shut it, woman! You know I did. I was at peace believing you were living a good life without me to muck it up.”

“I’d have given anything for you to have done that.” She grinned when he leaned in to kiss her. “This love we have, I’m taking it with me. When I finally meet Death again, I’m going to throw myself on the altar of her mercy and beg for leniency.” When he would’ve protested, she covered his mouth. “I won’t let you blow me off so easily in the next life, Laszlo Thorne. If she allows me to return, I’m going to be that burr in your shoe.”

His eyes gleamed with love and intent. “You’ll be my burr in this one. Count on it.”

“If stubbornness can make it happen, you’ll do it.”

“Damn straight.”

Flinging her arms around him, she buried her face against his neck. “I love you so damned much.”

“Don’t give up, Ebba. Whatever you do, you hold on, okay?”

She nodded, and her nose brushed the strong column of his neck. Although she breathed deeply, hoping to memorize his delectable scent, she understood it would be forever lost the instant Damian plucked it from her brain. Still, she savored the smell of crisp, clean linen and the peppermint from the candies he consumed at an alarming rate.

“Do witches get cavities?” she asked against his throat.

Laughter rumbled inside his chest, causing friction with hers. “That’s random.”

She drew back and grinned. “I was thinking about all the candy you eat. Not only would I be twice my size, I’d need every tooth in my head filled.”

“You’re going to despise the fact we don’t age, gain weight, or get cavities, aren’t you?”

“I fucking knew it!”

He laughed. “Goddess, I love you.”

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