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For once, I had to trust the evil, duplicitous witch.
I pulled the stopper out of the potion and set it on the nightstand. I wanted to have it ready to pour down his throat the second the charm was out. He may be a terrible guy, but he hadn’t done anything to me. I’d never seen him before, and damn, I would remember if I did.
He was gorgeous.
I shook myself.No time for that. Just do it and leave. Get it over with.
Steeling myself, I touched the tip of the dagger to the charm. All I had to do was slip it under and gently pry—
Rusty brown cracks spiraled up the hilt. I didn’t have a chance to react. The dagger crumbled into dust.Gone.
I gaped at my empty hand. If that’s what this thing could do to a silver dagger, what would it do to the barrier keeping me from my mom?
“Do not let this slow you, girl. You will have to use your nails. Do not fear, the corroding curse does not work on humans.”
“Do you know this, or are you guessing?”
The guys stirred, tossing his head across the pillow. I was across the room so fast, his briefly cracked eyelids saw no one.
He dropped his head back down and went to sleep.
“Make haste, girl. He should not have been able to move his head. Already the sticking effect is wearing off.”
Sticking?I glanced at my wrist, understanding dawning. Selene’sallystuck this guy to the bed like he permanently stuck the bracelet on my wrist.
Why the hell didn’t she say that before?
Bounding across the floor, I jumped on the bed, seizing his wrist.
“What the—? What’s going on!”
I didn’t pay him any mind. I couldn’t. I had to get that charm.
“Wait— Aella?”
My surprise at him knowing my name fled at my cringing horror as I pressed my nails to his skin, and dug in.
“Ahh! Aella, what are you doing?”
“I’m sorry,” I blurted. Blood coated my nails, making me heave. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just need this charm.”
“The charm?” He thrashed, or he tried to. He could move nothing but his head. “Why can’t I move? Did— Did you do this to me? Why?”
My nails got under the charm. I felt it give the slightest bit.
“Why!” he bellowed, blowing out my ears. “Why would you do this to me? I love you.”
I screwed up my face, surprise making me halt. “What? No, you don’t. You—”
“Cease your chatting. Someone will have heard his shouts and come to investigate. I assure you, girl, they will hurt you.”
I redoubled my efforts—digging deeper, pulling harder, and trying not to throw up the louder he shouted.
“—don’t do this. You don’t have to do this,” he cried. “You could’ve just asked for it. I would’ve given it to you. I love you, Aella. Don’t throw away what we—”
The charm came free. I almost shoved it in my pocket, then thought better of it. It burned through a dagger in seconds. It’d make short work of pocket lint and linen.
Clutching it tight, I snatched up the vial and tipped it into his open mouth. “There. No harm done,” I rasped, heart yammering against my rib cage. I clambered off. “I’ll even bring it back, okay. As soon as I’m done with it, so you don’t have to report me to—”
