Page 54 of The Stygian Crown

“Let me know if you find him. I’ve been searching all day myself. Probably holed up somewhere, pining.”

The red glow faded. Kara frowned and slid the stone into her pocket. Why would Calim cancel the betrothal? Had Ariana made up her mind about Rand already and convinced Calim to reconsider? Was it all a ruse on her part?

When Kara returned to Logan’s room, he was propped up in bed reading, sheet gathered around his hips. She licked her lips as she imagined dragging the sheet off him and crawling up his body. She set her things down and slid into bed with the grimoire.

“What’ve you got there?”

“The grimoire Salizar gave me. I thought it might contain some clues.”

Logan stiffened beside her. “You’ve been practicing blood magic? With him?”

“Notwithhim, per se. He didn’t show me much. But I’ve been studying the book. He did say something odd…” Kara flipped the book open to a page with marginalia and turned it to Logan. “Can you see this writing on the edges here? By my finger?”

Logan looked at the page, then glanced up at her face and shook his head. “There’s nothing there.”

Kara’s mouth went dry. “Fuck. Salizar said the same thing. Claimed he found it in the palace. The book is full of custom runes and advice for their uses.”

“Maybe he spelled it so only you could see? The custom runes could be a trick.”

“I don’t think so. Their forms make intuitive sense, and the variations I’ve tried have worked. I think it might have belonged to Namirah.”

Logan pulled her into his arms and kissed her brow. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Sometimes I think I hear her…whispering to me. Like at Widow’s Fall, or at the altar in the royal forest.”

Logan’s eyes flashed amber at the mention of the altar. “Is it out loud? Or in your head?”

“I don’t know,” Kara admitted.

“And what does she say?”

“Advice, oddly enough.”

Logan pursed his lips and swallowed.

“You think it’s true that she’s my grandmother.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences, Kara. Especially this many. Is it not better, in the end, to know? Or were you more content before?”

Kara rested her head against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. “I’m not sure. I still know nothing about my mother and father. And Namirah’s so infamous… I don’t know what would happen if people found out we were connected. Childhood was hell enough.”

Logan stroked his fingers over the back of her head. “I love you just the same.”

Kara’s heart stuttered.

“What did you say?”

“I said I love you, Kara McKenna. Cursed or not, Namirah’s granddaughter or not—I loveyou.”

Kara froze. “You do?” This was the last thing she’d expected.

Her chest burst with emotion. She ought to respond, to confess that she loved him, too, but she was overwhelmed. How could she encapsulate how she felt about him into three little words? They were so insufficient.

“Logan—”

“I know, Kara. There need be no words between us.”

She turned her face up to his and lost herself in him.

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