She brushed back her long, waving hair with hands that still held a slight tremor. “I can handle the danger. And yes, we are doing this. Do not mistake me, I’m grateful. You know I am. That was—”
He threw his hands in the air in disbelief. “You’re grateful? Bullshit. Don’t you dare tell me they didn’t have Triunes in your day. Things haven’t changed that much. You know what that meant. What you felt when you touched Lorie. We are your triad, Sarah. Despite the odds, Lorie found you. Why would you walk away from that? How could you even consider it?”
Her chin wobbled and she turned her back on him, staring at the bed without seeing it. “You have no idea what I’ve been through. What I’ve lived with for more years than you’ve been alive. You have no concept of what it means for me to be free. If you did, then as the match you claim to be, you would respect that and let me do what I must.”
The door they’d just been pressed against flew open, and she spun around, her instincts on high alert. A grim-faced Lorie leaned heavily against the wooden frame, his blue eyes turbulent. “What must you do, Sarah? Because I have a feeling we’re not going to like it.”
Why did she feel guilty? Because one man looked betrayed and the other used? Because they’d saved her and she was repaying them by leaving without a moment’s thought? There was no other path for her but the one she’d chosen so long ago. No way she could face her grandmother and the rest of the people she loved in the world beyond if she did nothing.
“I have to see the ancestor of Thalia Fairbanks about an heirloom. And if the families of the ones that did this to me are still alive…they will be made to acknowledge their crimes. To pay for them.”
Chapter Three
She shouldn’t have told them. Why had she? Of course they would question her motives. They didn’t know her. They had no idea what happened nor had they any reason to trust her. For all they knew she was guilty of something so unthinkable that she’d received an equally unthinkable sentence. Her words would only confirm their suspicions…but they didn’t understand.
The evil bastard who’d caused this had killed a hundred birds with one stone, save one—and he’d made sure she would live forever.
She didn’t know which was the crueler punishment.
A handsome man with hair the hue of rich mahogany was leaning over her chair, studying her with a narrowed gaze. “Why have I whammied her again? Isn’t she the woman of your dreams? Hell, she even came out of a book. You can’t get more Lorie-wet-dream than that. I’m not sure this is the right way to woo her, little brother.”
A short blonde slipped her arm around him and forced him to take a few steps back. “Tyghe, don’t tease. This is serious.” She looked over at Lorie, unable to hide the censure in her eyes. “She’s been held against her will long enough, hasn’t she? You said yourself how much she’s suffered. What’s going on?”
The man named Tyghe apparently had the ability to immobilize her. This was a powerful group of Magians. Sirens and compellers, and now this. She was to be interrogated, and not allowed to escape until she complied. Still, it was better than the alternative. She was, after all, still alive.
Where was her rage? The anger that fueled her survival was nowhere to be found. Instead, she still felt guilty. It wasn’t a good sign.
Con had his arms crossed defensively as he answered before Lorie could. “We have a situation, Callie, and we aren’t going to get any answers doing things in a touchy feely way.”
Lorie’s full lips curled and he glared at Con. “I agree, cousin. I saw how effective your touchy feely way was. Looks like it didn’t quite have the result you were aiming for.”
“You told me to stay close, buddy.” Con’s voice rose in agitation, his cheeks flushing when he realized everyone was listening. “I couldn’t resist, okay? I wasn’t planning for it to go so far so fast. I don’t think any man in here would have behaved differently. How was I to know that our destined mate just wanted to let off some steam with a warm body before going on a killing spree? Who saw that coming?”
“Killing spree?” Tucker, she recognized from his earlier introduction. Dark hair and dimples. Incredibly attractive. Why didn’t he affect her? The only men who existed in this room for her were Lorie and Con. And right now, they couldn’t feel further away.
Lorie moved until he was standing in front of Sarah. He knelt down and placed his hands on her jean-clad knees. If she could have moved she would have shivered at the sensation. Sparks. Again.