I grab Zee’s shoulder before pulling us out of there, and he curses the second we’re topside.
“What did he do to me? What the hell is this? A curse or something?”
“No,” I say, my mind racing for answers as hope invades me. “Gavin just did something to help us. We just have to figure out what exactly it was, and we’ll have to stay away from him. He’s strong enough to use magic in there.”
“What the hell?” he asks, baffled.
“He could have killed you, but he did something else. Judging by the new ink, I’d say he just forced something on you that required a very powerful spell.”
He follows me, walking beside me as we head through the woods and toward the house. I need time to think, so walking is better than vaporizing.
“Why would he help us? And how did he just do that? I thought you said that shit would restrain his magic.”
The house comes into sight as we reach the clearing. “It should have. I made those strong enough for me. Which means he’s a lot stronger than me. He could have escaped us before that trap tonight. He could have killed a lot of people. He could have killed me that night at the rings. I never stood a chance.”
“And?” he prompts, not following my random conversation.
“And that’s why we need to stay away. He’s not in control.”
“Control? Never mind. One thing at a time. So he wants to help us, but we need to stay away. He’s held back, but hasn’t been on our side. I’m confused about why you think he fucking wants to help.”
I stop walking and look directly into his eyes. “He didn’t say why. He said how. ‘How can I tell you my master plan?’ Those were his words. Not why would I tell you my master plan.”
Zee’s eyebrows go up. “Dude, you’re seriously up in the sky, and I’m still underground. What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means Kimber was right. My brother is tied to one serious bitch of a blood oath.”
Chapter 28
KIMBER
“How mad is Gage?” Ella asks, sitting down beside me.
Drackus has finally calmed down. He’s so pissed about the fact I stole his right to kill a warlock that is way too strong for him to kill. Gavin makes Drackus look like an amateur. But he proved to everyone tonight that he’s not the heartless murderer everyone thinks he is.
“He’s mad, but I hope he sees things my way one day. Hopefully soon. His ex is already trying to get his attention.”
She drops her spoon into our shared bowl of ice cream, and Drackus shushes her as he works on reading through my gatekeeping book, searching for a clue as to where I’ve hidden Gavin. He can search all he wants. The answer isn’t in there.
Gage bursts through the door, startling us, but the moment his eyes land on mine, he’s suddenly right in front of me, pulling me up from the sofa and away from Ella before delivering a bruising kiss that has me wobbling under the force of it.
His tongue sweeps in, and I dissolve into him.
“I guess the chat with your brother went well,” Ella drawls, a smile in her voice.
Gage pulls back just barely, and I run my tongue over my swollen lips. “You were right,” he says softly. “Gavin’s under a blood oath.”
“So there really is a bigger threat out there,” Drackus groans, slamming shut the book.
“Yeah,” Zee says, pulling his shirt off. “And Gavin did something to me.”
I look over at all the new ink that has taken over his arms and chest. “What is that?”
He shrugs, and Gage shakes his head, letting me know he has no clue either.
Chaz walks in, limping lightly, and Gage turns to face him. “You need to be resting.”
“I need to be here,” he says, brushing off Gage’s concern. Then he adds, “So now there’s a bigger threat, a traitor in the Somage, and Zee has some freaky new tats. All in a day’s work.”