Page 69 of Mark of Love (Love Mark 3)

He frowned. “But she…” His eyes widened. Reopening the book he was still holding, he ran his fingers over the page until he stopped. “There,” he murmured. “Janicka of House Godone and claimed mate of Percy of House Graykey. Born in two-fifty-two, she’d be seventy-six now, which would match Nanny Wynter’s approximate age.”

“What in the world are you babbling on about?” Melaina wondered irritably.

But I remembered reading what he’d written about Janicka Godone. “She’s the one who somehow managed to break her bond with her Graykey mate,” I said. “She ran off and was never heard from again.”

Indigo nodded, glancing my way. “Right after her mother-in-law died in two-seventy-eight when she stole two of Janicka and Percy’s infant children and made them disappear. I thought she’d just gone to Earth to be with the kids, because that had to have been where they disappeared to, right? But what if she didn’t have whatever it is you need to stay, so she had to remain in the Outer Realms? It would make sense for her to change her identity and go to Donnelly to become a nanny. Shit.” He shook his head. “No wonder why she always avoided me whenever I tried to interview her about her trip. I was a High Cliff knight. If her true identity was ever discovered, of course, she’d think I’d turn her in to King Ignatius to be tortured and questioned about the whereabouts of all the other remaining Graykeys.”

“So, you’re saying you know where the mate of Percy Graykey is? Right now?” Melaina asked with interest.

He widened his eyes, then he straightened. “No,” he said, the lie pathetically obvious.

“I mean her no harm, silly boy,” Melaina waved a distracted hand. “Just intrigued by her. Janicka was before my time, you see, but I heard the stories. Percy considered it a great conquest when he caught her and claimed her as his. She was a pure mage with multiple gifts. She could produce force fields around entire villages and read a person’s character, as well as bits of their future by simply touching them. Plus, I guess she also figured out how to break the bond to her fucking Graykey mate. The lucky bitch.”

When Indigo simply stared at her, she cleared her throat and lifted her chin. “As you can tell, I’m a fan of her work. I was not able to break the bond with my mate. Once Quilla and I returned from Earth the first time, I was compelled against my will back to my husband’s side. Things had calmed down after the reaping by then, thank God, but I had to disguise her as one of my maids until Qualmer—who shares my gift with disguises—ran across her and was able to look past the glamour to see her true image. And the idiot tried to diddle her, of all things, so I was forced to send her off to boarding school in—”

“He did what?” Indigo roared, looking ready to commit murder with his bare hands.

But Melaina waved his fury aside. “Yes, yes. He’s as wicked as his father, I know. But luckily, I was able to go off on my own when my husband, Pallo, was blessedly executed near the beginning of the Great Lowden War. By the way, thank your countrymen for me someday, will you, sweets? Life’s been infinitely better since they executed him. I found my way back to Quilla, and together, we’ve been searching for a pair of amulets ever since.”

“Amulets?” Indigo repeated, immediately latching on to the word.

Melaina cringed and cursed fluidly. “Dammit. Forget you heard that.”

And just like that, the secret was out of the bag.

Chapter 16

Quilla

“Shit, shit, shit.” Melaina closed her eyes and shook her head, before opening her lashes and frowning at me of all people. “How could you let me tell him that, you worthless cow?”

“Me?”

I probably would’ve started another brawl with her then for accusing me of something that totally wasn’t my fault, but Indigo blurted, “You mean, the only thing you need in order to switch places with someone on Earth and remain there permanently is a simple talisman?”

“No, no, you idiot boy.” Melaina sniffed loftily, forgetting about me for the moment. “A talisman enhances a mage’s power. An amulet protects them from evil, or in this case, the suction of the portal between both worlds. Without the amulet, you’ll get pulled back into the Outer Realms when the

pathway closes in a few moon cycles. Of course, you can always reopen it—if you’re a Graykey or a Graykey mate—and return there, but you’ll be continuously sucked back here unless you have a certain amulet to perpetually ground you there.”

“Except it’s dangerous to keep going back to Earth too often,” I put in forcefully, reminding Melaina of that with a hard look because she put herself at risk to visit Taiki, Questa, Quailen, and their families far too often.

She ignored me. “So, yes. There you have it. We’re going to Tyler to find two amulets so we can leave the Outer Realms forever. Congratulations. You’ve just made yourself a liability to us. Now you could tell someone where we went. I guess this means we’ll have to kill you when we leave after all.” She produced a dagger from her cloak and flipped the blade open, adding, “Or I could just take your life right now.”

“Or you could take me with you when you go,” Indigo countered.

I stepped between him and Melaina, where I gave my aunt a dry sigh. “Why would it matter who he told?” I asked. “The only people who could follow us through and harm us are other Graykeys.”

“Like Qualmer,” Melaina spat back. “And don’t tell me you think he’s not still kicking around out there somewhere, hidden under some immaculate and no doubt gaudy disguise. Let’s not forget, the last time I saw him, I tried to murder him. Again. And I failed. Do you honestly think he wouldn’t come looking for revenge if he ever figured out how to open the portal? Besides, can we seriously trust the Graykeys-only part of the portal opening legend? No one was supposed to be able to break their bonded mating to a Graykey either, yet Janicka Godone proved that was possible. We’ll never be safe if we leave with a loose string like him behind.”

When she motioned toward Indigo with a sneer, I shifted another step to block him from her view.

“Which is a non-issue, anyway,” Indigo put in, appearing at my side. “Because you’re not leaving me behind. I’m going with you.”

“No, you’re not,” I spat, sending him an incredulous glance. “You’re not a Graykey.”

“I’m a Graykey mate,” he shot back, with a little too much glee. “Or I will be.” Then he pointed at the mark on the side of his head. “Prove me wrong.”

“That may prove I’m your mate. But you’re not mine. I would have to claim you as mine to truly bind you to me in order for you to pass between worlds. And I’ll never do that.”

---