Wicked Deal (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 2)

“No, but thank you, Doratio.”

The healer nodded and backed out of the room.

Miranda gazed at Carrow and me in confusion, but she swallowed her questions. “Can I bring you anything?”

“Dinner, please.” I looked at Carrow. “Something in particular?”

“Um, no.” She still looked faintly shell-shocked, and I couldn’t blame her.

Miranda disappeared

“There’s more to this Cursed Mate bond,” I said to Carrow. “There must be. But we don’t have time for it now.”

“I agree,” she said. “I like your plan. There’s no reason we should…fall for each other.”

I nodded and tried to keep my expression placid.

I’d spent so many years feeling nothing that it was easy to tell when I was going off the rails. I was well and truly gone over her. No question.

I shoved the thought to the back of my mind.

“For someone immortal, you sure almost die a lot.” She tried to make it a joke, an attempt to change the tone of the room.

It didn’t work, but I played along. “You’re dangerous.”

“True.” Her gaze dropped to my shirt, and I realized that it was blackened and charred from the sorcerer’s spell.

“Let me change clothes.” I strode away from her, desperate for a moment to myself. A

moment to gather my wits and return to the coldness that kept me in control.

Carrow

Head reeling, I watched Grey walk toward a closet. As he neared it, he stripped his shirt off over his head and disappeared inside. I got the briefest glimpse of hard muscles and scarred flesh and had to turn away.

Shocked, I stared out the windows at the impossible view.

That vision had been real.

We truly were Cursed Mates. I’d seen no details—just the two scenes and a deep understanding of what was to come.

I thumped my head against the glass. “God, I wish I were a witch.”

The witches had it so good. They created spells and potions and sold them for beer money while partying in their tower. None of this visions-of-the-future shit.

Seeing my own future was just too much.

Especially when it was deadly.

Shake it off, honey.

Cordelia’s voice sounded from down below, and I turned to look. She sat a few feet away in the shadow of the huge piano I hadn’t even noticed. A massive wall of bookshelves sat behind her, stuffed to the brim with books. Another thing I hadn’t noticed.

“How did you get in here?” I asked.

How do I get anywhere? And you need to knock that look off your face. Moaning doesn’t become you.

“Do you know what I saw in my vision? What lies ahead of me?”