Yew Queen Trilogy, стр. 27

Baccio and Aurelio studied the fallen candelabras and the crack at the center of the room.

“We felt the release of her magic in the courtyard.” Baccio bent to touch the crack in the floor. His gaze went up and down my body like he was looking for clues. “That was shifter blood? I had no idea their power was so obvious at the magestone’s touch.”

Lucus kept his eyes trained on me, avoiding a lie he couldn’t tell. “We can use shifter blood to break the curse or at least weaken it. I know that much. What I don’t know is which spell to use.”

Grinning, Kaippa walked closer. His swagger was fully engaged, and he pinned his gaze on my throat. “I think you could pay me a little blood for my casting secrets.” The tips of his wings had claws. I shuddered.

Lucus flew over and landed between us, a sexy growl building in his throat. “Back away, vampire.”

Baccio and Aurelio were suddenly on either side of Lucus, horns black and wings outstretched.

I leaned around Lucus to look at Kaippa. “You’re the one trapped in the castle’s curse, not me. I’m pretty sure you’ll be motivated to let us in on all your secrets. Besides, if the Mage Duke trusted you enough to do magic while you were around, why didn’t he help you out of this place when he realized you had been accidentally trapped with your mutual enemies?”

Kaippa’s eyes widened, and he launched himself at me. Lucus gripped him and dragged him back.

“I know it’s tempting, but don’t antagonize him, Coren,” Lucus said.

“Why not?” I knew what I was doing. Pissing him off would bring out information.

Kaippa shook Lucus off, and Lucus let him. “Duke Ludovico was not my friend,” Kaippa snapped. “He was my master.”

He seemed equal parts angry with the man and saddened by what the Duke had done to him. A twinge of sympathy touched my heart, but I really didn’t feel sorry for him. He wasn’t an accidental murderer like Lucus. Kaippa was a killer through and through.

“But I know where he kept his casting book.” He rolled the ring marked with an L around his finger. Ah. L for Ludovico Sforza.

Lucus’s lips parted. “Where?”

“Let me stay.” Kaippa crossed his arms.

Why did the vampire want to hang out while we tried to break the curse? Was it only curiosity?

“Agreed,” I said, then turned to Lucus, who was glaring at me all alpha style. “Look. This is my party up in here too now. Deal with it.” I looked at Kaippa. “Now, spill the beans, vamp, and get that book.”

But before he could take a step, my body jerked like I’d stuck my finger in nine power outlets at once.

I dropped to the floor.

Behind Kaippa, the magestone flickered in time with my heartbeat as another shock of magic ran through me. If the others saw that stone light up like that, would they somehow guess I was actually a mage?

Lucus knelt beside me and placed a hand on my back. “Coren.” He’d said my name, but it felt like someone else’s name. The sounds were too exotic, too lovely, spoken with a reverence saved for loved ones. A thrilling joy filled me as he said my name again, and I fought the happiness down. It was false. Ridiculous. Nonsense. Lucus’s eyes burned with sincerity even though it had to be impossible that he truly felt worried for me, not after learning what I was. “Are you injured?”

Pleasurable warmth spread from his touch to curl down my torso. The breathtaking shivers of his lure gathered between my legs. I realized I’d closed my eyes. I opened them quickly and found Lucus’s face, a tender, searching look softening his features. The urge to reach up and take his face in my hands, to press my mouth to his parted lips was nearly overwhelming…

Was this the lure or was this the fated mate bond?

I pushed away from him, keenly aware of his brothers’ intent gazes. They obviously couldn’t detect the fated mates bond like Kaippa could, because if they knew, they’d most likely be pitching a really good fae fit up in here. But they were far from being idiots. They would figure something out soon, whether it ended up being the fated bond thing or the mage blood issue. Either way—Coren condition = screwed. No way they’d calmly accept either scenario. Blood would be spilled.

“Okay. I’m fine. Stop.” I gasped as Lucus’s lure dissipated. So some of that had been the feel of the lure. But his face had said he felt something more than that, something deeper and kinder. How did I feel about that? I wasn’t sure. For now, I was on Team Ignore, so I focused on the current issue of why I’d been shocked and thrown to the ground.

“What was that about?” I stood and dusted myself off. I felt like crap.

“It was the magic in your shifter blood.” Baccio always sounded like he was snarling. Was he ever in a good mood?

Kaippa picked up the magestone, then placed it back on its side table. Had he noticed it flashing? Did he realize I was a mage? He met my gaze and shook his head. Mage, he mouthed.

Shit. Okay, so he’d seen the magestone react and knew. Would he tell Baccio and Aurelio?

“The presence of fae wakes magic gently, slowly,” Kaippa said, winking at me. “The magestone shocks it out of you and enflames it. You’re just getting used to the power hidden in your shifter blood.” Neither Baccio or Aurelio seemed to notice the way he’d said shifter, as if it was all a grand joke.

Lucus and I traded a look that was laced in curiosity, wonder, and distrust. Aside from the fated mate bond thing, I wanted to ask him what was going to happen to me for real since my blood wasn’t shifter, since I was really a mage. But of course, we couldn’t talk about it now. That