Page 33 of Hers to Keep

He met her eyes.“No, but you might.”

She stepped back, stunned.“What?”

“The amount of magic you used to free me was gigantic, bavi.”

“But that wasn’t me.”

“I’m not so sure anymore.”Dohal’s tone was gentle.

“Yourmagic protected him, Mari,” Cisco added.“Not the goddess’s.”

She hadn’t considered the implications of that yet.What did it mean that her magic was bound by a contract that the goddess had made?More than that, that her magic actively moved to protect him.“It acted like it does for any of you when I feel like you’re in danger,” she said after a few awkward moments of silence.“Like he was mine.”

Dante’s forehead furrowed with concern.“Did you feel like he was yours?”

“I don’t know.But there was something familiar.I don’t know how to describe it.”She reached up to touch her throat.“When he spoke in my head, I knew exactly where he was, but it was more like I’d known all along.Like I was waiting for him, maybe.”And she had thought, more than once, how attractive he was despite having every reason to be afraid of him once his name had been revealed.

She didn’t have any idea what it all meant.There was so much more going on than she’d realized, and all of it felt dangerous.

Chapter 11

Nowthatthepartywas over, things around the compound settled into a more relaxed routine.Mari spent time checking in on all their guests, making sure they felt welcome and helping them try to find their new normal.She understood the struggle they all faced.Their lives had been so difficult for so long—now that things were suddenly changed, it could feel disorienting.

Most of all, she wanted them to feel safe and make sure there was no sense of pressure on them to leave until they were ready.She sat with Tristan in the kitchen, having a formal tea that Giselle had gone all out on.They nibbled scones and cakes and didn’t talk much at all.

Finally, he set his cup in the saucer and focused on her like he had something to say.“I don’t know what I’m doing here.”

Mari looked him over.Physically, he was much improved.But she knew from discussing it with Rio that he still didn’t have much in the way of memories.“Maybe there’s a reason you don’t remember.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.It feels like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.Clar and Hal are wonderful and very patient, but every time I try to get closer to them, I can’t help but think that maybe there’s something I should know about them that I don’t.”

“Have you asked them?”

Tristan sighed.“Yes.They tell me about their family and how they grew up, but nothing about what has been happening here in Las Vegas.”

Mari set down her cup.“My father ran this city for a long time.He was not a nice man.He preyed on children and other vulnerable people to build a life of ease and luxury for himself on their backs.You were one of those children.”

She paused to let that sink in.“I don’t know a lot of the details of what happened to you specifically, but there are reasons that Rio doesn’t want to tell you about them.It’s bad.Very bad.And maybe some of it is better left there and not remembered.”

“When I woke up in L.A., that was the feeling that I had.That there were demons in my past that should be left there and not disturbed.So I let it go.But then I started to remember Rio and the foster home, and I missed him, you know?It felt like I had left something behind that I needed.”

Mari reached to hold his hand.“I know he’s so glad that you’re back, because he missed you too.And maybe that’s enough.That you remember him and how close you were and the good times.”She remembered the conversation she and Rio had had about Cisco and the memories he’d taken from them.“Trust him to hold the rest of that for you.He’ll tell you if there’s something you need to know.”

Tristan looked away.“It’s been months since I came looking for him.And I woke up with missing time again, and now I’m mated to two hellhounds I don’t even know.What if this has happened before?What if there’s some other mate of mine wondering where I am?”He shook his head, tears welling in his eyes.

Mari recognized the downward spiral of his thoughts and squeezed his fingers.He was worried he had left someone important behind the same way he had with Rio, or she had with Dante.“Okay, you know how long it has been since you left California.We can figure out how much time went by before Clar and Hal found you.Then we can do the same for when you woke up the first time, based on what Rio knows about when you left town.”

He stared at her with a hopeful expression.“Yeah, that sounds good.Then once we have all of that, we can figure out how much unaccounted-for time there is, and if it seems likely I’m forgetting anyone else.”

She pulled out her phone and texted Rio to come find them, and to pick up the hellhounds on the way.Then she poured each of them another cup of tea while they waited.“There was someone that I forgot.I told Cisco to take the memories because I was in a place where I couldn’t feel the things I was feeling safely.”

“Because of your father.”It wasn’t a question.

Mari met his eyes.“Exactly.Later, once it was safe and he told me about it, I had him restore the memories.I had hurt Dante by forgetting him, but it was also something he understood once I explained it to him.”

“He forgave you.”

“He did.If he hadn’t, I’m not sure what I would have done.So I understand your worry, that there might be someone out there who misses you.But I also know that sometimes those memories are gone for a reason.”

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