The Bond by B.C. Burgess

Author:B.C. Burgess [Burgess, B.C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Bandit Publishing

Chapter Nine

Quin stared at the top of Layla’s head, the haunted haze around her squeezing his heavy heart. “What's on your mind, love?”

“Lots of things, Quin.”

“I know,” he whispered, nuzzling her hair. “Would you like to tell me what you're scheming on?”

“I'm not scheming on anything. I'm just trying to figure out how to stay alive, and I think testing my magic is a good place to start.”

He knew there was more to it than that, and so did everyone else. He looked at their worried faces and could tell they felt as helpless as him. “So we're going home?” he asked, looking back down.

“Yep,” she answered, “as long as it’s okay with the coven. If not, we’ll find a place nearby.”

“We'll stay in the community, not outside of it.”

“Then it's settled.”

“It's not settled.”

She pulled her face from his neck and found his stare. “What do you mean?”

“What do you intend to do about Agro?”

Layla opened her mouth, but didn't answer, because she didn't know what to say. What she wanted to do was let the bastard come so she could tell him to go to hell, but a response like that would get her family killed, so of course it was out of the question.

“Layla.”

“I don't know, Quin.”

“You're not facing him. I can't let you do that.”

She twisted and pulled herself up, bringing her face closer to his. “How much sense does it make for me to run and hide while others stay and face him? I don't have to be helpless anymore, Quin, and it's unfair for other people to protect me. Do you think our family wanted to face them? No, but they did.”

“This is different.”

“You're right. It is different, but no matter how the victims vary, this is about me, so it's something I should be dealing with. Not everyone except me.”

He took a measured breath while laying his palm on her heart. “It is about you, and that's exactly why you're not facing him. He may be hurting our loved ones, but he's not stealing them, or cursing them, or killing them. Those are the things he’d do to you, and those are far worse than torture spells.”

“He hasn't done any of those things to our family yet, but it’s going to happen. Caitrin told us Agro had to refrain from slaughtering the entire coven the second time he blew through. Then he slaughtered his own soldiers when he dropped in to find the community empty. If he sits on his hands while rebuilding his army, his patience will be spent by his next visit.”

Quin's jaw flexed as he breathed through his nose. “And what do you plan to do about it?”

Hating his tension, Layla snuggled closer and ran her fingers along the curves of his face. “I don't know, but we need to figure it out. I don't want to hide like a helpless victim while others die for me. I followed your rules and ran from him while everyone else stayed, and I did it because I was helpless to do anything else.

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