“Wouldn’t want to be left in that state?” he finished for me. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have.”
His agreement should’ve made me feel better, but it didn’t. The idea that I could’ve killed him made me want to vomit. “I knew I needed to lure you out and somehow trap you, and I finally thought of the Crone. She gave it to me—actually, she had it ready for me. She knew. Well, there was this kid with her. He’s a seer. He knew, and told her, and anyway, she gave me a spell, and it worked.”
His brows lifted. “She just gave it to you? Don’t get me wrong. I’m appreciative. More than I can put into words. But a witch never just gives anything away for free.”
“They don’t.” I dropped my hands to his shoulders. “She did it in exchange for one of your feathers.”
He stared at me.
“She gave me the impression that she wasn’t going to use it for something bad, and I believe her.” I paused. “Kind of. Truth is, I would’ve made the deal as long as she promised it wouldn’t hurt you, and she did. And I know you probably don’t agree with that and I get it. I do, but—”
“It’s okay.” He lifted his hand slowly, making sure I saw him before he touched my cheek, and I almost started crying again. That was further proof that this was my Zayne. “I would’ve done the same thing—would’ve agreed to anything.” He gently traced the line of my cheek. “What I was like is going to get to me and it’s going to sit in the back of my mind. I’m sure some moments are going to be worse than others, but I’m going to deal with it. I’ll make sure of it, because enough has already gotten between us.”
“That is so true,” I whispered. We had so many hurdles between us, and I wanted our very own happily-ever-after, like the ones in the romance books my mom had loved. We didn’t need to be our own obstacles.
His fingers stilled near where my jaw was still slightly swollen and bruised. “Is my touching you causing you any pain?”
“No. I don’t feel anything bad right now.”
“You look...more banged up than the last time I saw you.”
“Well.” I drew the word out. “I sort of had a run-in with Gabriel.”
Every part of him seemed to grow impossibly still. “When?”
“Last night.” I quickly told him what happened. “Good news, no one is going to be allowed in that school for a while, and I think he’s weakened somehow.”
“I should’ve been there.”
“You’re here now. That’s all that matters,” I told him. “I’m not hurt. Seriously.”
He gave a small shake of his head as his gaze continued to trek over my features. “I can’t believe that. Not when you...” He looked up briefly, his chest rising with a deep breath, and when his gaze met mine again, I would swear the glow behind his eyes was brighter. “How are you up, walking around so quickly?” His gaze traveled the length of my arm, to the numerous bruises that were now barely visible. Then his eyes narrowed. “Better yet, what in the Hell were you even doing here by yourself the night I came back? Even right now?”
I recognized that tone. He sounded just like he had the night I leaped from rooftop to rooftop without warning.
“You really shouldn’t be out here alone. Not with Gabriel still out there,” he continued. “He sent those demons after you. Shit. They were at the apartment.”
He had that same tone when I roamed off ahead of him in an unfamiliar area.
“At least the other night Dez was with you.” A slight frown pulled at his lips. “Is Dez okay? I think I—”
“Threw him into a fountain? Yes. He’s fine.”
Zayne sighed. “Good, but where in the Hell is Roth? Layla? You shouldn’t be out here, Trin. Not alone when you’re not fully healed, and I know you’re not fully healed. I can tell. I can feel that your grace has been weakened.”
Okay, his ability to sense that was annoying, because it was true, but Zayne sounded like he was gearing up for a lecture of epic proportions, and I couldn’t even be mad. The corners of my lips curled, and it felt weird and right and wonderful all at the same time.
“And why are you smiling?” he demanded, disbelief filling his tone once more.
A shaky laugh left me. “I just never thought I’d hear you lecture me again and enjoy it.”
“Try to remember that the next time I do.”
I probably wouldn’t.
“I...” I drew in shallow breath. “When you died, I thought I would never see you again.”
Every line of his face softened. “What did I promise you? If something happened, I would find my way back to you.”