Cursed Mate (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 5)

The little room that waited for us was a sitting room, complete with two cozy armchairs and a fireplace that flickered with flame. Bookshelves covered every wall, and about six Persian rugs overlapped each other on the floor. The scent of paper and leather binding filled the air, along with fresh flowers. I spotted the cheerful bouquet of peonies on the windowsill, then turned.

Grey waited just inside the door, his gaze on me.

Indecision tugged at me for a split second, and then I threw my arms around him. His arms came up, and he gripped me tightly to him, seeming to melt into me in a way that should have felt heavy but instead felt blissfully light. Like being surrounded in perfect peace.

I clung to him, his scent of flickering flame and whisky wrapping around me.

“This is a bad idea,” he murmured against my head.

“I don’t care. I haven’t seen you in two days.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”

“Of course you have. At what?” I didn’t pull away. He could explain just fine like this.

“I may have found something.”

“Yeah?” This time, I pulled back to look at him, but didn’t let go. “What?”

“Don’t get too excited. My last plan didn’t work.”

“I’m hardly any further along at finding answers in the Shadow Guild tower.” Unless the book panned out. “What did you find?”

“My maker is still alive, apparently. He’s the oldest turned vampire, though I haven’t seen him for centuries.”

“He can help?”

“Possibly. If he can’t, then he has connections with the most powerful seer in the vampire world. She’s an expert in all matters pertaining to us. She may know a way out.”

It was all we had, so it had to be enough. “Where is your maker?”

“In the town of Siaora, in Transylvania. We can leave now.”

“Now? You want me to come?” I was glad but surprised. He’d been so distant and secretive lately.

He nodded. “You’re half of this, and more than likely, we’ll see the seer. Her gift works by touch, just like yours. If we want full answers, we both need to be there.”

“It’ll give Seraphia time to work on the book I found.” Quickly, I filled him in.

When I finished, he nodded. “I need to stop by my flat for some things. Will you meet me there once you’ve collected what you need for a trip to the mountains? It could be cold.”

I nodded, already thinking of how I’d stop by Eve’s for some weapons. “I’ll see you at yours.”

Together, we left the library. On the street, we parted ways—he headed toward his tower, and I headed toward Eve’s place.

I reached her shop a few minutes later, finding her buried up to her chin in books. All around her, the shelves were piled high with gleaming glass potion bottles. Every color of the rainbow glinted under the lights, making it one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen.

Today, Eve’s hair was a brilliant copper. It gleamed like freshly polished metal and was twisted into intricate braids. Her dress matched, though in a slightly darker tone.

“Hey.” I shut the door quietly behind me.

She looked up, her face pale and her eyes tired. “Carrow! How are you? Figure things out with the mysterious raven?”

The bird was nowhere to be seen, and I thought she looked a bit shifty about it.

I shook my head. I was prob

ably making that up.