Page 52 of Fate Unchained

Last night during one brief moment when he wasn’t inside Lilah, he and Zann had spoken and Kyril discussed his idea with him. Zann agreed it was the best option, but he wasn’t happy.

Leaving Lilah’s house, Kyril and Lilah walked into the forest near where Baba Yaga’s house had stood. He returned to vulk form, and they joined up with Finn and Zann. Zann’s expression was fierce, his mouth set.

“You sure you want to do this?” Kyril asked. “Are you sure she’ll come?”

“She’ll come.” Zann glanced away. “You heard Baba Yaga. We’re connected in a way that …” He growled and ran his hand over his head. “It’s inconvenient. Normally I block our connection, and she’ll feel it right away if I stop. She’ll be curious what I’m up to, and she’ll come.” He waved his hand. “Let’s get it over with.”

Lilah glanced up at Kyril, a line between her brows. “Do we really have to work with a magicwielder?” Earlier, he’d told her about their plan, and she’d been about as thrilled as Zann.

Kyril nodded. “She has skills we need.”

Zann stood still beside the road, his gaze distant. Nothing happened at first, then the air in front of Zann wavered in a shimmer of sunlight. A young woman with long blond hair and a bright red cloak stepped forward right into Zann.

Hazel.

The magicwielder Zann was tied to. The one Zann detested.

Kyril expected Zann to push her away, but he didn’t. He put his hands on her waist, steadied her, and didn’t let go. “Hazel, it’s been a while.” His tone was much less snarly than usual.

Hazel didn’t try to extract herself either. “It’s been a nice break not dealing with you.” The spellcaster stared up at Zann, and the sun bathed her face, making her light eyes flash and her skin glow. Zann bent his head slightly. Was he smelling her? About to nuzzle her neck?

Lilah shuffled close. “I thought they hated each other?”

He ducked his head and whispered, “Me too.”

Zann growled and took a step back. “I need you to get the scrying bowl and show us where a few people are. Then we need a portal.”

Hazel quirked a brow. “Nope. I’m out of here.” She raised her hand and a glisten of bluish magic danced on her palm.

“Wait!” Lilah called out. “Please wait a minute.” She scowled at Zann. “You vulk have no idea how to speak to others.”

Zann ignored Lilah, still staring at Hazel. “If you help me, I’ll allow you one favor in return.”

The spellcaster paused. “Really?”

Zann reached up and cupped Hazel’s hand in both of his, closing her palm and extinguishing the glow of magic she’d summoned there. He kept her hand tucked in his, and neither tried to break the connection. “Yes.”

“I may have something I could use your help with.” She eyed him another long moment. “Fine. I accept.”

Hazel drew back and turned, scanning the rest of them. Her gaze landed on Lilah. “Do I need to save you from these vulk? They’re brutes, you know.”

Kyril growled and put his arm around Lilah. “She’s with me, and she’s fine.”

Hazel’s eyebrows shot up. “Another pairing, huh?” She turned to Zann. “You must love that.”

Zann bared his teeth. “For them, it’s only temporary. Let’s get going.”

Kyril glanced down at Lilah. Her lips were tightly drawn down into a frown. The rune was gone from her chest, so it really was temporary. Shouldn’t he be relieved Boris removed their choice? First, a rune will bind, but only a bite permanently entwines. What did that mean?

It didn’t matter. Lilah wasn’t going to choose a vulk as her mate, anyway. The loss of the rune wasn’t something to mourn. Except he still felt tied to her. He would keep that part to himself. She didn’t need to know his chest still throbbed, seeking her.

The air whooshed around them as Hazel created another portal, and he straightened his shoulders. So far, Lilah had been at his side every step of the way, but in the end, he lived alone, hunted alone, all because he was the only one he could truly rely on. Even the pack, the most sacred thing to the vulk, had dissolved. He’d never forget that.

Hazel waved at the portal. “Come on, let’s go to the scrying bowl.”

Lilah gripped his arm. “Can we really trust her?”

Kyril shot her a half smile. “Yes. She’s helped the vulk a time or two before.” He took her hand and quickly pulled her with him through the portal before she could think about it.

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