Mark of Love (Love Mark #3) - Linda Kage Page 0,57

War, King Ignatius had been systematically hunting down every last Graykey and ordering them to be eliminated. With the curse hanging over their heads, and the destruction they caused throughout the entire Outer Realms, it wasn’t safe to let any of them run free.

I glanced toward Quilla with just my eyes, realizing that meant her, too.

“You have an unhealthy obsession with my neck, you know that?” I asked, returning my gaze to Melaina.

“I swear to God, you High Cliff piece of shit…” Grabbing my hair, she tugged my head back so that the blade dug in deeper. “If you don’t start talking, I will keep pushing this in until your head rolls across the ground.”

Damn. Maybe I should stop her. This was beginning to hurt.

And bleed.

A lot.

But from the other side of camp, Quilla exhaled an impatient sound. “Melaina,” she muttered. “Cut it out.”

“Cut out what? His windpipe?” Melaina's eyes glittered wildly with rage as she watched me. “Gladly.”

Well.

I guess we weren’t friends anymore.

“Put the knife down,” Quilla ordered, her voice brooking no room for discussion. Setting aside the bread, she rose to her feet, squaring off with Melaina.

As she spoke, I felt a quiver of fear shimmer through her. My gaze sought hers, surprised. Was she perchance worried? About me?

The idea made my insides flare with cozy warmth. Worrying about me had to mean she cared, right?

Well, I thought so. And I liked it. So I let her aunt threaten me further.

“Sure,” Melaina shot back, flashing her teeth at me while she spoke. “I’ll put the knife down as soon as this fucker talks and tells me how he figured out where my children and the love of my life are.”

“My God!” Quilla flung my book she’d been holding to the ground with force and growled, “Why does it matter how he knows? He knows! So what?”

“My book,” I whimpered, hoping it wasn’t hurt.

She pierced me with an incredulous glance. “Are you serious? You are literally bleeding from the throat right now with your life about to end, and you’re worried about a damn book?”

“It’s the only one I have.”

She shook her head and drew in a sharp breath before clutching her temples and rubbing them soothingly.

“If he knows,” Melaina started. “Then that dipshit king of his must know they’re on Earth too.”

“Again…” Quilla countered. “So what?” She marched forward, her glare centered on Melaina. “Only Graykeys can travel through the portal. No one from High Cliff can reach them there; they’re safe. Now, will you stop threatening his life already? You’re the one who insisted we keep him alive. And I sure as hell don’t want to have to kiss him again if you give him another mortal wound.”

I could tell the exact moment Melaina decided to relent. The pressure on my neck lessened and her voice took on its usual mocking, sarcastic tone that dripped with amused disdain once again. “But it’s simply too much fun to torture you so, sweetling.”

“Fucking bitch.” Quilla yanked the dagger from her aunt’s hand and away from my jugular so she could wave it in Melaina’s face. “You make me kiss him again, and I’ll cut out your throat.”

The sudden freedom of my airway caused me to cough and sputter with an overabundance of oxygen. Quilla sent me a quick, questioning scowl.

I returned it with a grin and managed to rasp, “My hero.”

“Shut up,” she spat and kicked me in the shin before spinning away and storming off.

“Ouch.”

“You know, I think you’re actually growing on her,” Melaina mused, suddenly my pal once again as she patted my shoulder companionably.

“Of course I am,” I said, still wincing as I rubbed the spot she’d kicked. “Soon, I’m sure, she won’t be able to help but love me.”

Melaina snorted. “Want to wager on that, boy?”

“Hell, no,” I answered immediately.

In all reality, my true love would probably still be threatening me for quite a while to come.

As Melaina laughed uproariously, I slid a cautious glance Quilla’s way, hoping she hadn’t heard that last bit between her aunt and myself, because I could only imagine which body part she’d come back and kick next if she had. But she merely sent us a curious, if not irritated, scowl and went back to cooking.

And I was left with more questions than answers.

Chapter 13

Indigo

The rest of the bread baking continued in silence.

I offered to give Quilla some assistance, but she snapped at me to leave her alone, so I returned to my bedroll, where Melaina had completely abandoned