Page 168 of Mark of Love (Love Mark 3)

Tiny and black-haired and wearing nothing but gold, turquoise, rubies, and scarves, she gasped when she spotted the other three already inside the interdimensional tunnel.

“No!” she cried and lifted her hands, aiming her curled fingers at the closing portal.

Gritting her teeth, she strained until two objects came flying out of the darkness at her.

Catching them to her chest, she breathed out a steadying breath and grinned at me. “Oh, thank God. I got them. Just in time too.”

When I realized she was holding two of the three amulets that had just gone to Earth, I shook my head. “Um, I think they really needed to take those with them.”

She blinked in surprise. Then straightened. “Well, I really needed them to stay here,” she countered, dropping the amulets down to her sides. Then she hitched her chin toward me. “You’re the scholarly prince, aren’t you?”

“I am,” I said. “And who are you?”

“I’ve gone by many names,” she answered, eyeing me up and down with a speculative glance. Then she nodded to herself as if she approved of what she saw and flashed me a friendly smile. “But you may call me Nalini.”

My mouth tightened. I’d definitely be searching Indigo’s book after this for any mention of a Nalini. “Why did you steal their amulets?”

“I wouldn’t say I stole them,” she started, frowning over the term. “I merely took back what was already mine. And besides, it turns out they were the couple I was seeking after all. So I couldn’t let them go to Earth permanently. A brief visit…” She shrugged. “I’ll allow. But I need them to return eventually.”

I released a breath. I couldn’t say I was all that upset to learn this. It was nice to know Indigo would be back. But…

“It won’t be safe for them to return here.”

Her lips lifted briefly in sad amusement. “It won’t be safe here for anyone if they don’t.”

Irritated because I had no idea what she meant with all her allusive comments, I stepped toward her. “I’m going to need those amulets back now.”

She merely slipped away with a grin and lifted them just out of my reach. “Ah, ah. I’m afraid I can’t do that, young man. I created these amulets. They belong to me.”

“Young man?” I repeated, snorting as I slowed to a stop and scowled at her. I had to be at least a decade older than her.

“Poor Olivander,” she murmured sympathetically as she looped the amulet necklaces over her head and around her neck. “You’ve felt like an old man since the moment your true love was born so much younger than you, haven’t you? But never fret, dear boy. You’re still far more youthful than you imagine.”

I frowned and set my hands on my hips. “How do you know so much about me?”

Tossing back her long, bl

ack hair, she laughed. “Because I’ve been watching you. Obviously. Being the only caretaker of the only library in all of the Outer Realms, you interest me. I’ve kept tabs on you for a while now, and I must say, I’m growing quite impatient for you to notice what is sometimes right before your eyes.” She pressed a dramatic hand to her chest. “For such a learned man, you can be quite obtuse, you know.”

Obtuse? Well, that wasn’t a very nice observation.

“What am I supposed to notice?” I glanced around, trying to take in everything, even though nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me.

She tsked and shook her head before slowly backing away from me, becoming transparent and fading away as she went.

“Here’s what I’ll do for you, Olivander,” she cooed softly. “I’ll bequeath to you one act of service from me, anything you desire, as long as it hurts no one, and in return, I need you to help me break the Graykey curse.”

Break the Graykey curse?

So that was even possible? Excitement raced through my veins. But Nalini was almost completely invisible now.

“Wait.” I stepped toward her and reached out. “Of course, I’ll help. In any way I can. But how?”

“Why, by using your natural abilities, my child. But that is all I can say. Besides, the Replacement for Melaina is coming through. And you’ll need to deal with that now.”

Then she disappeared completely.

Before I could make sense of what had just happened, the portal reopened, much more violently this time. It heaved and sputtered as if it were vomiting up something unpleasant, and a form came flying out of the darkness at me, screaming as they were hurled into our world.

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