“I do.”
Chapter 13
Merlin flinched at those two little words Maks spoke. “Oh, that was not the thing to say to her, man.” He touched the orb, and it spun around so he could see Zamira’s face. The horror and shock written across her skin was as plain as day. Maks was right about that little fact; she was not good at hiding her emotions. Or she just didn’t care to as she’d pointed out.
It was one of the traits he liked about her. No guessing as to just what she was feeling, or even what she was going to say sometimes.
He blew out a breath, flapping his lips lightly, thinking. He was sure that Maks was important now, sure that he was the other desert born the Oracle had meant when she spoke of the wall coming down and the Emperor being stopped. The only thing that still had him concerned was Maks’s loyalty. Would it be to the Jinn and his father, or would his blood run truer than that?
Because while he wasn’t sure, he had a fairly good idea of what Maks was. Jinn, yes, but something else too. Something good and pure that offset the madness that came with a Jinn’s power, and that goodness was what kept Maks with Zam. She called to him like a siren to a sailor drowning in rough seas.
Whether she meant to or not, she’d captured him firmly and had become a rock of strength he needed, he was sure of it.
Merlin glanced at the sleeping form of Flora. It was the first time she’d essentially left him alone in months. Not that he minded, but he had things to do that would be easier done without her knowing. He twisted his lips, thinking fast. There would not be time for him to get to Zamira, Maks, and little Lila. They were on their own for now.
Never mind the gorcs still hunting for her. He was far less worried about Zamira on this journey of hers. She’d proven herself more than capable through the Witch’s Reign, stronger and smarter than anyone—even himself—could have guessed. He would let her go and see what he could do to help the bigger picture move along.
It looked like it was time he had a chat with Ishtar. That discussion had been a long time coming, and he needed her help if the Emperor woke. But first, he would have to convince her to do the right thing which was far easier said than done. The more stones she gathered to herself, the stronger she became. More like the woman she’d been when the Emperor had reigned supreme.
“No time like the present,” he muttered to himself.
Decision made, he paused on the doorstep and looked back at Flora. She was going to be pissed as a wet hen when she woke and found him gone. He grinned and blew her a kiss.
Her anger would be something to behold.
He couldn’t wait.
Chapter 14
The clouds above us hid the sun at its zenith when it should have been flooding the plains with bright light. I wished for the sun, for the warmth to chase away the cold that clung to me. But instead I was left in the cold, nothing but the naked earth around us.
Maks regretted what had happened between us, the kiss, the friendship, everything. That could be the only thing he meant when he’d said, “I do.” Wasn’t like he was fucking well saying he’d marry me. Not that I would have wanted that.
“Well, sucks to be you then,” I snapped and urged Balder into a faster trot. We weren’t too far from Dragon’s Ground. . . maybe I could just. . . I didn’t even know what I would do. The hurt and cold in my body was replaced by a burning red-hot anger that was much easier to hang onto. There would be no tears over Maks then. None.
He could fucking well bite me for all I cared.
Lila swept out in front of us doing barrel rolls through the air. While it wasn’t exactly warm, at least we weren’t dealing with the cutting rain that had pounded on us for days.
I let my mind be occupied with the weather, with dissecting Lila’s moves and seeing how beneficial they could be in a fight if she were bigger, with thinking about anything but the man behind me.
“Zam, I didn’t mean it like that,” Maks called after me. I kept my back ramrod straight.
“You said it. You don’t say things you don’t mean, right?” I booted Balder harder than I should have and he gave a buck and pinned his ears. “Sorry,” I whispered. I didn’t need to take my anger out on him. Not for an instant. I relaxed my hands and seat, doing my best to not be tense for Balder’s benefit at least.
“Zam, don’t be like this,” Maks called after me and I tightened my hands on the reins.
I took my feet out of the stirrups and pushed up onto the saddle. Just wait till he got a load of what I was about to throw at him. I shifted into my cat form, ran across Balder’s back and leapt off his rump straight at Maks. His eyes widened but, of course, he thought he would be catching a tiny kitten in his big strong arms.
Not so much.
I shifted again at the last second, so my entire body weight slammed into him at full speed. I knocked us both off Batman’s back; the horse scrambled out and away from us and I landed on top of Maks as he hit the ground. The air whooshed out of him and he closed his eyes while I stared down at him.
“Don’t be like what, Maks? Don’t think that was a fucking shitty thing to say? Don’t think that after everything we’ve been through, after I’ve saved your ass multiple times, you’d think of something better to say than you regret meeting me?”
“Better than a lie, don’t you think? I don’t want games either. I want honesty.” He breathed out as he opened those eyes of his. Eyes that I’d always thought were pretty. They were as blue as ever and filled with a blankness I didn’t like.
His words were sharper than any knife and I hated the pain they caused. Because the only way they could cut me like this was if I really cared about him. About a Jinn that I’d thought was a good man. More the fucking fool was I.
Lila swept down around us. “What did I miss? Did you kiss him again?”
I pushed upward and strode back to Balder. “Go away, Maks. You owe me nothing.”
“You need my help, Zam,” he snapped. “There is no way you’re going to get your brother out without my help. And I owe you my life.”
His words tore through all the defenses I was so rapidly building. Defenses made of lies.
I didn’t like Maks.
His kisses were awful, sloppy and cold.
I thought he was a self-serving asshole.
A Jinn just using me.
Except none of it was true, and I didn’t do well with lies whether they were for me or others.
“I don’t need you,” I said. “So, go, escape the wall and your family and be free of all of this. I release you from any bonds you might feel you have for me saving your life.” I finally turned to him. “That’s what you want, isn’t it? To be free?”
“Yes,” he said.
“And I am just one more chain holding you here because you owe me.” I arched an eyebrow while my heart pounded out of control. Balder danced around me, picking up on all the energy I was throwing off.
Maks nodded once but didn’t speak. His hand lifted to his neck and then dropped.
So that was how it was going to be. “I absolve you of anything you think you might owe me. Lila, witness this,” I said.
She sucked in a breath. To have a witness was to say that nothing would ever be given my way in recompense for saving Maks’s life.
“I. . . I witness your words, Zamira Reckless Wilson,” she said. “But are you sure?”
“You are free, Maks of the Jinn,” I said. “Assuming that is even your real name.”
I turned my back on him and mounted up. “Lila, how close are we to the Dragon’s Ground?”
She cleared her throat. “Seven miles. You should be able to see the marker soon.”
I nodded and spoke over my shoulder. “Do not follow me, Maks.”
“Or what?” he called back.
I shook my head. “I won’t do anything, but the dragons might have a different thought on just how crunchy you are.”
Lila flew at my shoulder, darting looks at me. “Seriously, what did I miss?”
“He regrets everything, Lila. All of it. And he said it right after I told him I didn’t regret it.”
She winced. “Well, that was stupid of him.”