Page 26 of The Princess of Portals

“What is it?” I asked him.

“I’m thinking.”

“I can see that. What are you thinking about?”

“I’m thinking about how reckless you are. And if there’s a spell to save you from yourself.”

“What would this spell do?”

“Keep you safely inside this house until you’ve had a chance to think things through logically and come to your senses.”

I snorted. “That won’t happen.”

“Your coming to your senses?”

“I’ll have you know that I am very sensible.”

His eyes honed in on my left wrist, exactly where the Templar’s iron grip had clamped down on me. I slid my sweatshirt sleeve down lower and tucked my hand behind my back.

“Come on, you aren’t going to trap me here,” I told him.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

His eyes were one hundred percent serious.

“You wouldn’t,” I said. “You’re too chivalrous to lock me up against my will.”

“That is the chivalrous thing to do, Seven: save you from the powerful enemy you foolishly intend to run after.”

“I need to talk to him, Kato.”

He gave me a flat look. “Because that worked out so well the last time.”

“I’ll do better this time. He caught me by surprise. I’ll have a plan this time. A good one. One guaranteed to work.”

“Savannah—”

“He’s a Templar, Kato. He can lead me to Kylie and the other Apprentices. He knows where they are. I have to find them. I have to save them.”

“You don’t have to personally chase down every wrong in the world and right it. Not everything is your responsibility.”

“Hey, I thought that’s what being a Knight is all about. Taking responsibility. Righting wrongs.”

He placed his hands on my shoulders and met my eyes. “It is. But if something were to happen to you…”

I set my hands over his. “Nothing is going to happen to me. Promise.” I smiled.

He didn’t. He just watched me, his brow furrowed with worry.

There was a pop of magic, and then Conner was standing in my living room. “Am I, uh, interrupting something?”

Kato and I both jumped. Our hands dropped to our sides.

Kato looked at Conner. “I hate it when you do that,” he grumbled.

Conner didn’t look the least bit sorry. His smirk was smooth and easy. “Hey, it’s not my fault that you’re so easy to sneak up on.”