Page 16 of Twilight Echoes
Worried she might cut herself, Darrell jumped from the chair, careful not to step on anything sharp, and lifted her intohis arms. It felt as though he’d come home. She was meant to be his, and he would do whatever it took to make sure they had their chance at love.
“Put me down,” she said sharply, glaring at him.
He let out a low growl but set her butt gently on the seat next to his.
“I have to do it,” her father said, folding his arms. “It’s the only way.”
“Going that deep in a damaged aura like his could kill you both.” She ran her hand over her knee, massaging gently. “There has to be another way.”
“What’s the likelihood that we will die?” He forced his gaze away from Avery, whose eyes turned a dark cobalt, like the angry waves of the ocean.
“About a ten percent chance for me, maybe twenty for you.”
“I’m going to die if we don’t do something, so for me, it’s a no-brainer, but I’d understand if you didn’t want to take the risk.”
Prince Albert shook his head. “I’ve looked at past rings before, where no one else on the Royal Council has, and I have a stake in the outcome. But we could call Trask. He can do it too. He’s done it many times. He’s more of a wizard than I am.” He arched his brow, glancing at his daughter. “Do you have a preference in who does it?”
“I’d rather no one did it,” Avery said. “But Trask should be involved no matter what.”
Albert nodded. “Avery, call Jackson. I think having a wolf here will be beneficial. Especially one that is connected to the Legend of the Fated Moons.”
“If you insist on doing this, I’m calling Dr. Kilby as well,” Avery said, still rubbing her knee.
Darrell had no idea why he focused on that movement or why he wondered if her favoring one leg over the other had anything to do with what was going on with his pack.
But something told him it did.
4
“Are you sure you want to do this now?” Avery pleaded with Darrell as she paced in her parents’ living room. She hadn’t been able to sleep all night, much less focus on rehearsal, and it showed when she fell twice doing things she could do in her sleep.
She didn’t care that Trask had agreed to come or that the power her father’s magic held surpassed most wizards. Looking at a person’s memories was dangerous and had other side effects besides death. “We can wait one day for the Royal Council to meet. Maybe they have a different idea? Perhaps a seer could do this.”
“I know you’re nervous about your father?—”
“And you, too.” Avery stopped at the end of the sofa, hands on her hips, and glared down at Darrell.
Everything about him made her insides melt and her outsides rattle with a combination of anxiety and desire. The schoolgirl crush she had on him for all those years bubbled from her heart, only nothing about what she felt for him was childish.
No.
Her grown-up body wanted to savor every succulent flavor that floated off his skin. She wanted to feel his strong arms wrapped around her while their hearts beat as one.
“Sit down.” He patted the cushion. “Trask is here to make sure nothing happens to either one of us.”
“Then why isn’t he doing this instead of my father?” She let out an exasperated sigh, plopping herself on the couch. As she bent her leg, the cold, sharp pain, like an ice pick jabbing her joint, ricocheted to her teeth. Instinctively, she grabbed her knee and groaned.
“Did you hurt yourself more while practicing today with Olivia? Or when you fell?”
“I told you. It’s overuse and I’m fine,” she said, though honestly, she had no idea what was wrong, and today everything felt worse. But it would have to wait until after this performance because she was not letting Olivia have it. Not because she was being a bitch or a prima donna, or any reason other than the opening show belonged to her.
“You’re not fine. You’re in pain. I can tell. I know the signs. Been there a time or two myself.”
She turned her head, lowering her chin. “Nice try, but I’m not letting you change the subject. What you are about to do is dangerous.”
“Doing nothing is more dangerous.” He slipped his fingers through hers and the damn fairy dust flew from her pores like it was the Fourth of July. His silky skin kissed her palm, causing her heart to thump heavily in her chest. “But I will ask to have Trask do it if it will make you feel better.”
“No. My father is insistent that while Trask might be more qualified to look inside, my father isn’t as good at dealing with all the things that could go wrong,” she said. “Can I ask you something?”
