Sapphire Spells

Chapter 45*

This may get a little spicy. You have been warned.

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I walk beside Alaric, and his hand finds mine, interlacing our fingers. "The Obsidian Coven has given you a room here." He starts, drawing my attention from the long hall before us. "But I would prefer if you stay in my room."

My heart sputters. "Well, since you are begging, how can I say no?" I say, not wanting to be alone in this place or anywhere.

His lips curve, shoulders relaxing as if my answer releases tension. A nervous energy pulses through me with the way his eyes darken as they stray to me.

"Gabby and Celest seem nice," I comment, trying to avoid the things my heart is trying to do in my chest at the thought of staying with Alaric, alone, in a room.

He nods in agreement focusing on the hall we make our way down. "They are the daughters of the Head of the Coven."

"Is that good or bad?" The way Alaric's brows pull together, I am uncertain how to take this news.

"I suppose it doesn't matter much."

"Having the children of leadership as friends doesn't matter?" I ask in surprise.

"Their leadership is... rigid. They are sending their offspring into the void to search for the dragon shifters and attempt to bring them back to our realm," he says these things as if I have been raised by witches and have not just jumped into this pool of magical mystery. Until very recently, I was just a girl who thought she would live a normal life.

"Am I supposed to understand what any of that means?" I ask.

His pace slows. "It's just that they do not seem particularly concerned for their children's safety."

I snort. Seems that witch leadership here is not much different from the current Sapphire covens. The old are reckless with the youth. Mine tried to apparently kill me. But I refuse to let myself go down that line of thought. Not when my soul finally feels lighter after being reunited with Drew, the wolves, and Alaric. My hand in his larger one tethers me to this moment, to him. Tomorrow I will face the problems left of today. Tonight, I don't have to deal with any of that mess.

Alaric comes to a stop, lifting his chin towards the door. "This is me...us."

I stand in the hall as he lets me into the room, watching as he opens the door.

"Well, this is it." Alaric lifts a hand, moving it through the space briefly. "It isn't much, but works for what it's intended for." It is not a large room. Stone walls surround us, a single bed in the center with a thick rug covering the floor. There is a single dresser and a door leading to a bathroom. The space smells like him. Masculine. My heart does its strange acrobatics again.

"You sure you don't mind if I stay here?" I ask, hesitating by the door. It is as if I am invading if I move further into the room.

"I prefer it if you stay with me." Honey eyes view me and I find myself frozen under that gaze. "I expect nothing. I'll sleep on the floor if that makes you more comfortable." Him even offering that eases something inside of me. The bossy Alpha, making my comfort a priority. But at this moment, I don't want softness.

I need to forget. Crave an escape.

He thinks I am fragile after what just happened, but he can not be more wrong. The Sapphire witches can all go fall off a cliff for all I care, except for Fallon. He could stay. The fairies, screw them too. The vampire whom I made a deal with, that's tomorrow's worries. They are all not my problem, not tonight. There is no collar around my neck. I am fucking free. Finally.