Yew Queen Trilogy, стр. 12

“It was no dream, I’m afraid.” Lucus strode out of the darkness of the hallway. At my look, he explained, “If I left you here, I would die.”

Right. Of course. My aura and its ash-proofness.

My chest caved in, and I bent to put my hands on my knees.

Lucus appeared at my side and put a hand on my back. “Tocco d’oro, I am so sorry. You are such a strong one, and I wish…” His words started in English, then trailed off into another language.

Tears stung my eyes. But I wasn’t going to let this insanity ruin my awesome life. I’d been through jerk boyfriends, near financial ruin, and more family drama than any TV show. I would take this head-on, too, and win. I wiped my eyes and straightened. Right now, Lucus looked like a ridiculously handsome human and not a winged immortal from Aunt Viv’s stories. He must have used what she’d called a glamour, a mask to hide his fae nature. It was all coming back to me. Her detailed information about the fae, her advice. The fae were incredibly intelligent.

But so was I. We were on my turf now. He obviously worried he would turn to ash if I wasn’t nearby with my golden aura. If I somehow managed to run, could I get far enough away to affect him before he lured me back? I would play the fool for now, but it seemed like my best bet was to make a break for it. Soon.

“How did you find my house?”

He winced. “I used my vines to access your mind. I realize that was an intrusion, but I only searched for your home’s location.”

Vines accessing my brain? Wtf. “Hold up. Lay that out for me.”

His wings shimmered into existence and unfurled, one vine from the outer edge lengthening and hooking itself around his neck. “I can use my power to see your thoughts.”

I touched the back of my neck to feel a tiny bump below my hairline. Bile rose up my throat, and I forced it down. “Your vine went into my spinal column.”

“Indeed.”

“Indeed isn’t the right response.”

“Apologies.”

I pressed my hands against my closed eyes. It was too much. Way too much. “Why did you bring me here?”

“For you to rest and find suitable clothing for the current weather.”

“What do I need to do to help you all and stay alive? That’s the only way I get out of this, right? To help you somehow?”

Lucus’s chin dropped and his jaw tensed, the muscles under his pointed ears working. “I don’t think I can free you, Coren. I apologize. Not yet. I will protect you to the best of my ability. But we need you to help us. Please.”

Was he deceiving me? Would he really protect me? I was a stranger. No one to him. Overwhelmed by everything, I choked on a sob, refusing to weep in front of this psycho.

My bamboo stick from my escrima fighting seminar was propped up beside my bedroom door. I could possibly get to it. If I hit him in the nose, he’d lose sight for at least a second. I had a chance.

Lucus lifted his gaze to meet mine, his green eyes showing just a spark of his power. “I have an idea that may lead us down a different path from the one Baccio and Kaippa want to follow.”

My lungs pulled in a shaky but deep breath. “Different path! Yes! You should have opened with that!”

But I wasn’t going to just stand here and listen to his idea. I had my own idea. I stepped closer to the escrima stick, keeping my eyes focused on him.

“Have you ever heard of a magestone?” he asked.

“No. I remember you said something about a Mage Duke though.” I took another step toward the weapon.

He began to pace the living room. He was so out of place here with his emerald cloak amongst the gray couch and the tin of shortbread on the side table. It was kind of a shame that he would be a pile of ash in a few minutes. Not that much of a shame though. I liked being alive. Life was pretty fantastic.

Pretending to listen to his magestone talk, I curled my fingers around the escrima stick and took three quick steps toward the garage door. I didn’t know whether it was open or not, but he was blocking the front door, so I had no other real option. Breaking a window would take too much time and might not even be possible.

Lucus looked out my front window, peering at the row of houses across the street. The sunrise painted his otherworldly face in shades of rose, the light seeming to cling to him, to drape over him like a cloth. The emerald streaks in his hair glimmered above his pointed ears.

He was pretty, but he was going down.

I dashed for the garage door, slammed my palm on the button to open it, and then his hand was on my wrist. I cracked the stick against his head—a perfect watick like Titus had taught me. Garnet blood welled, and he fell back. I spun and ran, my own blood pounding in my veins and the stick still in my hand.

A wave of desire dropped me to my knees.

The stick fell from my trembling fingers, and I grasped at my shirt, stunned by the tingling warmth pouring down my scalp, my back, all the way to the apex of my thighs.

I let out a string of swear words that would’ve made any sailor proud. “Let me go!” Gritting my teeth against the all-consuming urge to crawl back to him, I reached for my weapon.

But Lucus was there. He stepped on the weapon and held out a hand, horns materializing, wings snapping open, and eyes blazing a bright emerald. “You can’t escape me, Coren.” He almost sounded regretful.

Gasping, I dragged my hands over my torso, unable to stop touching myself. “Then switch off this