Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews Page B

said back to him.
    â€œIt could be worse,” he said.
    â€œHow?”
    â€œWe could be fighting him and your aunt.”
    My memory served up Erra dying on the snow.
    â€œShe talked to me before she died.”
    â€œWhat did she say?”
    â€œShe said, ‘Live long, child. Live long enough to see everyone you love die. Suffer the way I did.’”
    In that moment on the snow, exhausted and bleeding, all I cared about was killing her and making sure Curran and I survived. Now I finally got it.
    â€œShe didn’t want to go through all this again.” I glanced at the woods in front of us. “The land, my father’s mind games, killing people . . . I think she decided she was done and the only way it would be over was if she died or he did. She let me kill her.”
    And I was a lot like my aunt. More than I cared to admit. Neither of us was well suited for diplomacy. The only reason I had lasted this long was because both Curran and Barabas pulled me back from the edge whenever I tried to charge it. My father had to have realized that left to my own devices, I’d snap and attack him.
    â€œYour aunt fought plenty,” Curran said. “Besides, Roland was the one who told you that. I don’t trust his bullshit.”
    â€œWell, it bit him in the ass. I told him that even his own sister didn’t want to live in the world he made.”
    Curran laughed.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYou always know how to get under someone’s skin.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œIt’s your superpower. Trust me, I know.”
    He looked at me and laughed harder.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI love when you bare your teeth at me. All the shapeshifter living has been rubbing off on you. You’d make such a cute shapeshifter.”
    â€œI will fucking throw you off this tower.”
    â€œYou and what army?” He spread his arms. “Give it all you’ve got, baby.”
    I thought about it and shook my head.
    The smile vanished from his face. “Okay, now I am worried.”
    Live long enough to see everyone you love die.
    She must’ve loved someone. She must’ve mourned him. She talkedabout her sons and having to kill them when they turned into homicidal psychopaths . . .
    It hit me like a freight train. Wow.
    This was a very stupid idea. An idiotic, stupid, suicidal idea.
    Find a Rubicon to cross. I’ll show you a Rubicon.
This wasn’t just crossing it, this was setting it on fire and blowing it up.
    â€œDo you remember when we went to the Black Sea and you pretended to be infatuated with Lorelei?”
    â€œNot that again.” His face shut down.
    â€œI’m going to do something very dangerous and stupid. I’ve done some idiotic things in my life, but this takes the cake.”
    â€œTell me.”
    â€œNo.”
    Gold rolled over his eyes. “What do you mean, no?”
    â€œIf I tell you, you will stop me from doing it.”
    â€œNow you have to tell me.”
    I shook my head. “I’m calling in the Lorelei favor. You have to let me run with this.”
    â€œKate!”
    â€œNo.” He would blow a gasket. If someone had told me my brilliant idea an hour ago, I’d have laughed and then bashed their face in.
    â€œTell me.”
    He was a cat and a control freak. It was killing him not to know.
    â€œNo. But I wanted to be up front and tell you that I have a plan and I’m going to have to leave the city for a few days.” If I just disappeared, he would freak out and tear Atlanta apart to find me.
    The beginning of a snarl rumbled in his throat. “You will tell me.”
    â€œCurran, please don’t fight with me. Please. I’m at the end of my rope and I just saw the light at the end of the tunnel.”
    He snarled, frustration exploding out of him. “Fine. Am I allowed to help with your crazy scheme?”
    â€œCan you rescue