Page 31 of Midnight Rules
“It means someone keeps poisoning you.” Iven’s expression turned stoney.
Marric shook his head. “What? That’s not possible.” Who would do that to him?
“I want you with me at all times. No exceptions.” Iven making demands didn’t sit right with Marric.
“I need to think.” Marric hugged the book to his chest and backed away from Iven when he touched him.
“Are you okay?” The archivist frowned at him. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Marric just shook his head. He needed more information. Maybe she was wrong about the curse having to be maintained. But if she wasn’t, he needed to figure out who might do something like that.
“I need to call my dad.” Marric tensed. Panic rose in his chest, tightening his lungs. “Emery. Oh gods, someone is hurting Emery too.”
Marric ran for the elevator. Iven grabbed him from behind, holding him in place. Marric fought him, but his hold was firm, although not painful.
“Calm down. You’re safe.” Iven whispered in Marric’s ear.
Marric growled and fought Iven. The elevator dinged, and the door opened. Marric stopped fighting when Iven moved them inside, but he didn’t let go.
“Press the button to go up, honey.”
Marric’s hands shook, but he did what Iven asked. “I need to go. Please. Let me go.”
“If you let the perpetrator know you’re onto them, they could hurt you. They’ve likely killed once already. You can’t protect her if you’re dead.” Iven’s voice penetrated the hazy panic.
Marric sagged against Iven. “Let me go. Please.”
Iven cursed for reasons Marric didn’t understand, but he released Marric. By then, the elevator was moving.
Marric turned and practically threw himself at Iven. He would worry about being embarrassed later.
Iven seemed surprised by Marric’s behavior, but he still held him close.
Marric had never felt more secure in his life. “What should we do?”
“Well, first, you let me help you calm down. You’re still shaking. Then we’re going to respond to the information instead of reacting.”
“What’s the difference?” Marric asked, but he wasn’t sure he cared that much. He was fine as long as Iven didn’t stop holding him.
“Responding requires a plan.” Iven rubbed his back. “The first thing we should do is go to your house and clear it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’ll clear it of all the negative magic and shore up the wards.” Iven’s jaw ticked. “And then we’ll have a talk with your dad.”
Marric was dreading when Iven met his father. Only the gods knew what would come out of Kinnison Ransome’s mouth.
Chapter Fifteen
Iven knew the second they pulled into the farmyard, and he saw Kinnison Ransome standing on the front porch with his arms folded in front of his chest and a scowl on his face. He was in for a battle where his mating was concerned. What he didn’t know was why, not that it mattered much. Iven didn’t have any intentions of letting Marric go. If Marric rejected him, then he’d walk away, but that was the only thing that would make him leave.
Marric sighed. “So now would be a good time to tell you how serious my dad is about the whole alpha heir thing.”
The way Marric said it implied he thought it was about as ridiculous as it sounded.
“I guess that makes me the inappropriate peasant boy in love with the prince.” Iven hadn’t ever thought he would have to defend his mating, but it seemed he was about to take on the alpha of Timeston’s wolf shifter pack.
Marric chuckled. “You’re too old to be a boy, peasant.”
