Midnight End

10

“What if I told you I’d reconsidered helping you?” His question hung in the air between us, our eyes locked as we attempted to decipher one another’s thoughts. “You thought about it, or you’ve decided to do it?” I was cautious not to get my hopes up prematurely. He had been toying with me, perhaps this was still part of his game. He continued to eat as if we were discussing the weather or the appropriate method for cracking an egg, rather than discussing the state of my imprisonment. “First, I want to know why you’re so convinced you can find the cauldron when so many others have failed.” A legitimate question. Interesting. I decided to take the bait and play along. I raised a brow at him and leaned against the counter to mirror his stance. There was about two feet of space between us, yet it was filled with miles of distrust. “I know because I’ve been there before.” There, let him chew on that for a while. His jaw stopped moving mid-bite, and his eyes narrowed a fraction. The easy-going playboy had disappeared, and the wolf peeked out through Knight’s eyes. “Tell me more,” he ordered. “I’m not going to tell you how to get to it—you’d just go without me.” Surely, he didn’t think I was that big of an i***t. “You tell me more or I’m not agreeing to this.” He set the plate down on the stove without breaking eye contact with me. “I want to know there’s a legitimate chance we could find the cauldron before I betray the one man who has been my only family.” His amber eyes flashed with an intensity that made goosebumps perch on the skin of my arms. He was serious and clearly torn. Catching this fish was going to require just the right lure—too flashy and he’d see right through it, not tempting enough, and he’d move on to something better. I would have to give him just enough information to reel him in, but not enough to find the cauldron on his own. I forced down the knot in my throat and swallowed. “I spent my years in exile gathering information to make certain I could find it. That’s why I’ve worked so hard to get onto Seelie Lands. The cauldron is here, but I couldn’t get in.” “Why would you need clues if you’ve been there before?” he asked, skepticism clear in his voice. “I was there as a child. I didn’t want to leave it to chance that I could find it again, so I researched every aspect.” “Just because you’ve seen it before, doesn’t mean it’ll appear for you again—especially considering all you’ve done since.” He arched a brow at me. Normally, I was excellent at keeping my emotions masked when needed. However, Knight had touched on my greatest fear. My lips pursed together in agitation, both at him and myself. “It’s a chance I’m willing to take. Are you? As far as I can tell, I’m your best bet at getting those memories back. You have to decide if you’re willing to take the risk of freeing me, or if you’re willing to live knowing you never even tried.” My heart pounded at the walls of my chest as seconds ticked by in suffocating silence. Knight edged closer until we were toe-to-toe. “If we do this, it’s on my terms. Specifically, those cuffs stay put, and you will stick with me at all times.” Game, set, match. My heart thrummed in my chest, making me lightheaded with excitement. I didn’t want to push my luck, but the use of my magic could be the difference between success and failure. “What if you need my help?” I argued. “Wouldn’t it be safer and give us the best chance of finding the cauldron if I have my magic?” “I gave you my offer—take it or leave it.” He folded his arms across his chest, telegraphing an air of absolute finality. He was not going to budge, and I wasn’t going to help my position by arguing further. I gave him a single nod. “You figure out how to get me out of this place, and I’ll take you to the cauldron.” “Not a problem. Gather your things, and we’ll go.” We had entered a tentative truce. I hadn’t gotten everything I wanted, but that was the way of negotiation. Everyone walked away with just enough not to be pissed but not nearly enough to be totally satisfied. Technically, my end of the negotiation was still open. In less than a day, Knight had changed his mind about helping me find the cauldron. There was no reason he couldn’t change his mind about the cuffs as well. All I needed was a little time. Lucky for me, we were about to spend every waking minute together. OceanofPDF.com 5 There wasn’t much in the way of travel gear at the house, but I collected what I could find and packed it into a backpack I had uncovered deep in a closet. Thanks to Merlin, I had a closet full of clothing options. I dressed in skinny jeans and a dark, short-sleeved top with sneakers. This excursion would require comfort over fashion. I enjoyed dressing up as much as the next girl, but that wasn’t going to help me trek through the forest. As I prepared, my hands shook with the hint of a tremor—my body’s response to the surge of emotions raging inside me. I was incredulous that in a matter of minutes, I would be free on Seelie Lands. What felt like my entire life had been spent on this one task—all of my energy, my thoughts, my hopes—tied up in one desire. Like a rabbit and that miserable carrot hanging just beyond its grasp, my dreams had always been outside of my reach, but I never gave up on the chase. I may have been called many things, but ‘quitter’ was not one of them. Reminding myself there were never any guarantees in life, I attempted to calm my racing heart. I knew better than anyone that nothing was ever as easy as it might seem. Getting onto Seelie Lands was progress, but it was just the beginning of the journey. There would still be a plethora of challenges before us. Once I gathered everything I could find, I made my way to the living area. Knight lounged on the sofa, arms draped along the back cushions, ankles crossed like a man without a care in the world. Must be nice, drifting through life so leisurely. He wore a snug white t-shirt with a pair of dark wash jeans and black boots. With his thick beard and his long hair pulled back in a knot, he looked like a hipster on the cover of Maxim. I scanned the room and found no sign of a packed bag or travel items set aside. “Have you not packed yet?”