Page 129 of Seducing Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“Wouldn’t have worked.”

“You looked worried enough.”

He studies me. “You can’t banish someone that doesn’t belong in hell.”

I blink then stare into his golden eyes, sensing his sincerity. “That’s reassuring.”

“Can I see the symbols from the cave?” Nathan requests, breaking the tension.

“Only if you promise to share anything you decipher.”

Nathan nods.

“Sorry, Nathan, I’m a little wiser to this promise deal now. I need you to speak the words.”

Nathan stands, stretches, and sighs. “I promise to share anything I decipher from the symbols you give me. Okay?”

I point to the folder on the dining table Zee must have retrieved when he got the Jar. Nathan opens it. He sucks in a breath.

“What?” I enquire.

“When you saidsomesymbols, I didn’t realize you meant the entire cave.”

Archan looks over Nathan’s shoulder.

I grab Archan’s arm and turn him toward me. “My gut says opening that Jar and killing Pan are bad.”

He nods. “I will hold off doing anything until we learn more. But remember, you have a replica, and it could have been planted to confuse us.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Archan folds his arms in a mirror pose. “I will hunt down Lawrence and encourage him to leave you alone.”

I open my mouth to tell him to keep out of it, but Duncan places his hand on my shoulder. “He’s offering to help. Accept it—we need it.”

“Thank you,” I mutter to Archan.

Grasping my folded arms, he tugs me to him and devastates my mouth with a toe-curling kiss, only pulling away when Barney clears his throat in the universal sign that the PDA is getting more than PG. Archan brushes his lips across my ear. “We aren’t finished.”

I don’t deny it. “I know.”

Archan, Jed, Nathan, Barney, and Zac disappear. I take a deep breath. The room instantly feels twice as big, except I’m left with my three friends, whose looks range between concern and skepticism.

“What?” I ask, picking up some dirty cups from the floor.

Duncan shakes his head. “What are you going to do about Archan?”

My eyebrows scrunch together. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want him?”

Aaden finds his seat on the sofa. “A little direct,” he mutters.

“Yes? No? I don’t know.”

“What did he say to get you to calm down outside?” Zee quizzes.

“Sorry.”

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