Melaina cringed and cursed fluidly. “Dammit. Forget you heard that.”
And just like that, the secret was out of the bag.
Chapter 16
Quilla
“Shit, shit, shit.” Melaina closed her eyes and shook her head, before opening her lashes and frowning at me of all people. “How could you let me tell him that, you worthless cow?”
“Me?”
I probably would’ve started another brawl with her then for accusing me of something that totally wasn’t my fault, but Indigo blurted, “You mean, the only thing you need in order to switch places with someone on Earth and remain there permanently is a simple talisman?”
“No, no, you idiot boy.” Melaina sniffed loftily, forgetting about me for the moment. “A talisman enhances a mage’s power. An amulet protects them from evil, or in this case, the suction of the portal between both worlds. Without the amulet, you’ll get pulled back into the Outer Realms when the pathway closes in a few moon cycles. Of course, you can always reopen it—if you’re a Graykey or a Graykey mate—and return there, but you’ll be continuously sucked back here unless you have a certain amulet to perpetually ground you there.”
“Except it’s dangerous to keep going back to Earth too often,” I put in forcefully, reminding Melaina of that with a hard look because she put herself at risk to visit Taiki, Questa, Quailen, and their families far too often.
She ignored me. “So, yes. There you have it. We’re going to Tyler to find two amulets so we can leave the Outer Realms forever. Congratulations. You’ve just made yourself a liability to us. Now you could tell someone where we went. I guess this means we’ll have to kill you when we leave after all.” She produced a dagger from her cloak and flipped the blade open, adding, “Or I could just take your life right now.”
“Or you could take me with you when you go,” Indigo countered.
I stepped between him and Melaina, where I gave my aunt a dry sigh. “Why would it matter who he told?” I asked. “The only people who could follow us through and harm us are other Graykeys.”
“Like Qualmer,” Melaina spat back. “And don’t tell me you think he’s not still kicking around out there somewhere, hidden under some immaculate and no doubt gaudy disguise. Let’s not forget, the last time I saw him, I tried to murder him. Again. And I failed. Do you honestly think he wouldn’t come looking for revenge if he ever figured out how to open the portal? Besides, can we seriously trust the Graykeys-only part of the portal opening legend? No one was supposed to be able to break their bonded mating to a Graykey either, yet Janicka Godone proved that was possible. We’ll never be safe if we leave with a loose string like him behind.”
When she motioned toward Indigo with a sneer, I shifted another step to block him from her view.
“Which is a non-issue, anyway,” Indigo put in, appearing at my side. “Because you’re not leaving me behind. I’m going with you.”
“No, you’re not,” I spat, sending him an incredulous glance. “You’re not a Graykey.”
“I’m a Graykey mate,” he shot back, with a little too much glee. “Or I will be.” Then he pointed at the mark on the side of his head. “Prove me wrong.”
“That may prove I’m your mate. But you’re not mine. I would have to claim you as mine to truly bind you to me in order for you to pass between worlds. And I’ll never do that.”
He pointed at me as if he was going to say something nasty, but then he shook his head and countered with, “We’ll come back to that later.” He turned to Melaina and announced, “I’m going with you two to Earth.”
“If you were to come with us,” she shot back haughtily, “we’d need to find three amulets, then, and we haven’t found any. Not in the past eight years. And I don’t feel like waiting around long enough to discover a third.”
A spark of guilt shot through me, knowing I probably should tell her about the amulet tucked away on my person, but I couldn’t seem to risk it. Not yet. She was too unpredictable.
Indigo glanced at me then, his brow furrowing slightly, as if he were catching a whiff of my guilt. But then he turned back to Melaina.
“Which is exactly why you need me,” he announced. “Investigating, collecting information, and discovering where things are is literally what I do. I can help you find the amulets.” Lifting his book as if that were proof of his abilities, he said, “Just ask your niece. She read some of my research. If I want something found, I find it.”
“No,” I growled. “No, no, no, no. You’re not helping us find the amulets, because you’re not going.”
“So, what?” He spun toward me, suddenly irate. “You just plan to leave me behind?” Something in his gaze shifted. The anger drained so hurt and betrayal could fill his eyes. “Alone?”
The word alone struck me hard. That was the very reason I was so intent to help Melaina find the second amulet and go to Earth with her. So I wouldn’t be left here alone.
Dammit. How had he known to use that very word against me to argue his case?
Hardening my jaw, I shook my head, refusing to fall victim to his mock pity party. “Alone?” I repeated, lifting a censorious eyebrow. “Give me a break. You were leading an entire kingdom’s army when you came across my path. So don’t try to play on my sympathies with some lonely act. You can go back to being your queen’s right-hand man once I’m gone.”
He stepped toward me, his lips quivering with rage. “Except Queen Nicolette isn’t my true love. You are. You’re my future, whether you want to accept it or not. You’re the only shot I have at getting a truly happy life, and I’m not going to just stand aside and watch you walk off into the sunset without me. We’re in this shitshow together, woman. Until the end. There is no going off anywhere without me.”
With a growl, I stomped my boot on the ground. “God, you sound like such an overbearing caveman right now.”
His eyebrows lifted. “I have no idea what a caveman is,” he admitted, “but they must be pretty damn smart if they think remaining with their partner through thick and thin is a good idea.”
“Jesus.” I threw my hands in the air, beyond frustrated. “Why are you fighting this so hard? Your mark will disappear when I go to Earth, so you won’t feel so connected to me anymore, anyway. You’ll be free.” I waved my hands like a bird flapping its wings. “So just let it happen.”
“Except I don’t want to be free of you because, newsflash, empress…” He moved even closer, towering over me. “I like the connection.”
“You what?” He was so close, I could see golden flecks in his eyes, just as he’d claimed to see some in mine earlier. They sparkled as if they were catching fire from all his heated emotions.
“I don’t want to lose my connection to you,” he repeated, making my pulse flutter rapidly.
I sucked in a deep breath and blinked before wrinkling my nose in confusion. “But why would you want that kind of connection to a complete stranger?”