Page 37 of Charming the Troll's Heart

What?I don’t like this already.

Just do it. I’ll be okay.

With a reluctant sigh, I agree. I step into the back room, close the curtain, and wait for a few long moments.

I showed him three numbers with my hands,she says through the wall.Eight, one, and six. Come back now.

I return to the main room, and hold up the numbers: Eight, one, six.

“This is so fucking strange, Lo’zar,” Graz says with a grunt of annoyance.

“I know.”

He shakes his head. “There’s no way this is real.” But I know that he believes it now.

We all sit in silence for a while while Graz processes everything I’ve told him. He holds up the worm’s body to the light.

“So this stuff is dangerous?” he says, examining it closely.

“Dangerous enough we took the whole damn place down with us.”

He gapes at me. “You what?”

“Rimi used some of those worms, and they blew up. The pyramid almost collapsed on top of us.” Rimi perks up when I say her name. She’s glancing between us like she’s trying to suss out what we’re saying.

I can see the veins already starting to pop out of Graz’s forehead. “You... you destroyed one of the few remnants of our ancestors? Before I could even check it out?”

I shrug. “It was that or be killed. I chose ‘not be killed’.”

He grunts. “I can’t believe you. A place filled with some kind of ancient magic, and you just buried it so no one will ever find it again.” He shakes his head, then glares at Rimi. “All because you got the hots for a human.”

“She’s not just any—”

“What do you want from me?” Graz’s voice shifts to something harsher.

I swallow hard as I say it. “I need your help getting Rimi home.”

This is not what he wanted to hear. “There’s no way I’m risking my position with the clan for that,” he says firmly, crossing his arms. “I will let you stay here for one night, and then I need you to leave.”

My heart falls. I can’t do this without my oldest friend to help me.

Rimi notices the atmosphere has changed.Lo’zar, what’s wrong?

This was my only plan. I don’t have any other options.He won’t help us, I tell her.

She gets to her feet quickly.Why not?

You’re human. He has no investment in what happens to you.I’m suddenly furious with him. It takes over me hard and fast. This is my person. My everything.

And that’s when the truth hits home. Finally, I get it. It all makes sense.

“Graz.” I try to keep my temper in check. “I don’t think you understand.”

“Understand what?” He’s just as pissed off with me. “That you put everything on the line for some woman, and now you’re bringing that trouble to my house?”

“She’s mine,” I snarl, locking eyes with him. “She is my mate. Without a doubt. If you turn her away, you are turning me away, forever.”

It’s like I’ve shot him right in the gut.

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