Page 28 of The Hocus Pocus Handbook

“A week?”

“Seven sleeps. It’s tough to track time as a lizard. I mean, I wasn’t stuck inside a trap, but my physical form limited my travel options. It’s worrying when you’re small enough to be eaten by a bird.”

“I should think so. My magic doesn’t work in here,” he adds.

Half closing my eyes, I reach for the wild eddies of fae magic that are capricious with me at the best of times. But the air is still and quiet. Is this what it’s like to be human? Will I feel like this over there, once I’m exiled? The idea of never seeing Da again, or any of my friends, Tara and Nerys, oh—

I realize he’s waiting for me to respond.

“I can’t use mine either. Do you mind if I test my innate abilities?”

Before, I promised I wouldn’t feed from him again without consent—and I shouldn’t have done it in the first place, even though Lord Liskaal has given me tacit permission to drain anger as needed to keep the populace compliant. I…hate the fact that I need to, but sometimes hunger slips the leash, and I sample. It’s instinct for me, and every day, I battle my nature. I long to be someone who contributes, not someone who leeches from others.

But self-control leaves me unsatisfied, always hungry, always on the verge of doing something dreadful. The silence makes me feel guilty for asking, so I add, “Never mind.”

“Go ahead. I’m furious with myself for delaying us, so there’s plenty to spare.”

Us. What a curious word, one I never expected to hear from Winter’s hound.

I shouldn’t call him that. Something has shifted between us, and it feels wrong to dismiss him now that I’ve caught a glimpse of his secret heart. Silently, I extend a hand. If he takes it, that will persuade me his assent is more than empty words.

Kerboros gazes into my eyes for a beat, and then he puts his fingers on my palm, just the barest whisper of touch. A frisson pops on my nerves, but before I can analyze what I’m feeling, appetite takes over. His energy is dark and lush, filling me in a rush of dusky-purple wrath. I can feel the heat rising in my face, a sensual flush, and he makes a sound deep in his throat.

I break contact, heart rate up, breath coming in soft gasps. “Wow. Was it good for you too?” My voice sounds embarrassingly husky.

He startles me with a laugh. “It was. I have no outlet for those emotions. If Liskaal suspected how I truly feel, he would judge me too great a risk, regardless of how useful he finds my service.”

I clear my throat. “Accurate. You weren’t kidding about the anger.”

“At least you won’t starve while we’re stuck. There’s something unexpectedly fulfilling about nourishing you.”

My chest feels tight. I never thought I’d meet someone who finds me less than odd. Some fae find my presence disturbing and would gladly return me to the mortal realm. There’s a bit of a flutter within the constriction, and I struggle to keep from revealing just how touched I am by his words.

“Good to know,” I manage to say. “We should check our surroundings. Macha never makes a trap impossible to escape.”

“There’s a way out?”

“If we’re clever enough to find it. She’s not a bad person, just…testy. She uses these snares to deter visitors.”

“One would have to be quite determined to persist,” he agrees.

“I’ll just…” I make a vague gesture toward the dock and hurry off, the heat lingering in my cheeks.

That was beyond awkward. Let’s not focus on that part.

If Macha left objects to be examined, maybe there’s a clue. I peer into the crates and examine the rope. They look like normal items to me, and nothing happens when I put the rope in the crate. I try the other one just in case. Nothing. There’s no result when I hop into the crates either. I try stacking them, to no avail.

Wishful thinking. I didn’t really imagine it would be that simple.

Maybe I’ll explore the hills away from the ship. If I find a ring of tiny mushrooms, that would absolutely be the portal out. But the distance is deceptive, and it takes what feels like a long time to walk the length of the hills. I don’t find anything but random plants and flowers, and the light seems to be fading outside.

Kerboros is on the dock waiting when I get back. “Anything?”

I shake my head. “What about you?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

I could cry. The ticking clock is even louder in my head, but I’m so tired. It feels like forever since I said goodbye to Da. “I need to rest. I’ll catch a few winks, and then we’ll get back to it. We have to get out of here as soon as possible.”