Yew Queen Trilogy, стр. 13
Lucus’s eyes shuttered briefly, and the intoxicating pleasure faded with the last remnants of night. “I will protect your life, but I must ask that you help us.”
“And by ask, you mean demand.”
He glanced at the floor. “Yes. I suppose you are correct. I demand that you help us. Just remember that I have no wish to harm you.”
I was not getting away. My throat bobbed, my body raw with fear and desperation. As unbelievable as it was, I had to hope that this different path, as Lucus had put it, would steer them clear of killing me. “Start over with the magestone talk, pretty man. But let’s go back inside for this insanity. If I have to deal with magic and dying, I’m at least going to do it over pancakes. You do not get any.”
Chapter 10
After I’d changed into some holey jeans, a shirt, and my boots, I texted Hekla, wanting her far, far away from this horror show.
I’m not up to climbing today, I texted.
I’m coming over.
No, no, no. I have a fever and am puking. Stay away.
You need chicken soup, woman.
Stay away or die of plague.
I would risk plague for you and you know this.
Please don’t. I need someone to run our business because I don’t want to live on the street.
Good point. Fine. Talk soon. Call if you need me.
I sent a heart and a unicorn then tucked the phone in my pocket. I put a charging bank in the other.
In the kitchen/living room, Lucus glamoured himself to look human again, and at last, I sat down to eat my magnificent pancakes. Despite the comforting and familiar smell of maple syrup that surrounded the table, I felt like a death row inmate at her last meal.
Lucus took a fifth bite of his pancakes before I’d eaten one, his black eyebrows bunched. I hadn’t wanted to give him a damn thing, but I thought maybe my kickass cooking would improve my chances in this scenario.
Lucus swallowed, his throat bobbing. “These are quite good.”
“You seem displeased at the fact,” I said flatly.
“I haven’t eaten human food in a very long time. I hadn’t thought such fare could satisfy a fae, but now I realize I was mistaken. Normally, we only feed on the trees’ auras in our castle courtyard as well as the humans we lure each century.”
Trees had auras?
I chewed a cinnamon-and-nutmeg spiced mouthful, but then pushed my plate away, my stomach turning. “As Queen of the Human Food, I demand you tell me about this magestone. Again. Because I wasn’t really listening when I was trying to run from your ass or when I was attempting to destroy your handsome face.”
His lips quirked up at one side. He wiped his mouth with one of my Halloween napkins, then set his hazel gaze on me. My heart stuttered even though he just looked like a regular handsome guy without those bizarre horns and whatnot. The horns were strangely hot.
Remember, Connelly, I told myself silently. This guy is bad. Bad, bad news.
“I’ll take you to the casting room in the castle. The magestone rests there. We can put a drop of your blood on the stone, and it will light up if you have magic in your veins.”
“First, what happens if I do have magic?” Oh, geez. What had my life become? I really wished Aunt Viv could get a load of this.
“It will depend on what type of power lies within you. If you are fae, then we will release you immediately. Your power will be useless with regard to the curse, and we cannot feed on fellow fae.”
“But Aurelio already did.”
“It would be forgiven because of ignorance. It is taboo. Not dangerous.”
“He wouldn’t have…uh…tasted fae aura?”
“No.”
“That’s not a thing?”
Lucus raised an eyebrow. “That is not a…thing.”
“But Aurelio will die of starvation if he doesn’t feed on me.”
“He will. But that law cannot be broken.”
“What if I have some other kind of magic?” I asked.
Lucus blew out a breath, and his fingertips sparked, emerald and bright. “If you have the power of a shifter, we may be able to use your blood to break the curse. They have very mutable blood magic that can be used to accomplish a variety of goals if handled properly.”
I suddenly couldn’t swallow. Sure, I’d heard them say the word earlier, but it hadn’t sunk in. Coughing, I tried to wrap my brain around it all. A shifter. My blood. Blood magic. It was all too much. “Like a werewolf?” My voice was a squeak.
“Shifters are rare. I don’t believe they are extinct, but that their magic sleeps. Some shift into wolves. Others into lions. Still more into birds such as falcons.”
“I need a minute.” I whirled around, crossed my arms, and closed my eyes. Aunt Viv had never mentioned shifters. They’d hidden well, I guessed. I massaged my temples, knowing I had to absorb this whack info and get back to the conversation, considering Lucus had so casually mentioned using my blood. I probably needed to have a say in that action.
I spun and faced him. “If my blood frees you somehow, you all will flit around Nashville, sucking people dry. I can’t do that, Lucus.”
“We have fed on humans since the beginning of time, and there is rarely a death. Mages and vampires are the ones who normally deal in death. But if we can end the curse and the protection it allows Kaippa, I will kill him myself.”
“I don’t trust you.” I zipped my lips. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“Understood. But remember that I am motivated to keep you in my good graces.”
“Hold on. You are not in my good anythings.”
He continued like I hadn’t snapped at him. “If you possess shifter blood, I will need you to break this curse, and you can ask me to swear an oath to satisfy your qualms. Fae cannot lie. If we don’t break the curse during this cycle