“I’ve been cursed?” My heartbeat thundered, and I stilled, senses on high alert. My predator senses were unlike my normal human senses, which had been dulled when I’d first been turned. These were something almost unnatural, allowing me to find prey and fellow predators alike.
“Perhaps.” She shrugged. “I don’t know what is happening inside your mind, but I suspect someone doesn’t want you to remember something. That is all I know.”
My jaw tightened, and I stood. “Thank you for your assistance.”
Carrow stood as well, shooting a confused glance between Genara and me. I reached into my pocket, withdrew a golden coin, and laid it on the table. Like many mages, Genara preferred to be paid in the old manner, and I kept a coin on me for such cases.
I turned, Carrow followed, and we wound our way between the tables and down the stairs. We passed through the main part of the coffee shop, and the witches in the book room smiled when they spotted her. They rose, hesitated as their gazes met mine, then sat back down.
Carrow hurried up next to me. “This is very bad, isn’t it?”
“It’s bad.” I stepped out onto the city street and drew in a fresh breath of air, working to calm my mind. The quiet of the garden beckoned, and I strode toward it, finding a spot in the middle that was far from any buildings or prying ears, before I turned to Carrow. “I’ve never been unable to access my memories before.”
She frowned up at me. “Whoever tore those pages out of the book didn’t want anyone to know what they did.”
“And I was the only person who would outlive them, so they had to erase whatever I knew.” Anger tightened my muscles. Having my mind manipulated was an invasion. It made me want to crush something. I clenched my fists, determined to remain outwardly calm. “Who the hell has fucked with my memory? Can you get that information with your gift? Not what Genara taught you, but your gift.”
“By touching you?” She frowned. “I can try, but my gift doesn’t work well on you. The only thing I’ve ever seen is information about us being Cursed Mates.”
“Try. Please.”
She nodded, raising a hand to grip my wrist. Her touch sent heat shooting through me, and I grounded myself with the feeling. Immediately, it calmed some of my helpless rage.
“You feel different,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“Not as angry.”
“I felt angry?”
She nodded. “Like, your aura. I couldn’t see it on you. You never show emotion like that. Cold as ice, like normal. But you had this…energy.”
“I’m fine now. Don’t worry.”
She scoffed. “Hell, I’d be angry, too, if someone messed with my mind.”
“I’ll find them.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. Her magic flowed through me, lighting me up like a bonfire. I shifted, trying to fight the pull that dragged me toward her. Drawing in a slow breath, I focused on my self-control.
Eventually, she opened her eyes and withdrew her hand. “I can’t get anything.” She scowled. “If I could go touch the wall again, maybe I could get more information from it.”
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s too dangerous. Whoever we’re dealing with was powerful enough to manipulate my mind. I don’t want you going up against them.”
“They might be dead. There’s n
o telling when this happened. Could be hundreds of years ago.”
“Could be. It’s still too dangerous.”
“I’m afraid that’s not your call to make.”
I resisted the growl that had no place in civilized conversation. “More’s the pity. We need to try to find another copy of the book. See what this bastard is hiding.”
“Seraphia said there aren’t any more copies in her library.”
“There could be another copy somewhere else. And if there is, I know someone who would know. Nevaeh Cross, a researcher at the X in Magic Side, Chicago.”