"Dammit, Sunshine, be reasonable. I don't want you hurt."
"Why? Because you love me?"
"Yes, I do."
They both froze as he snarled the angry words.
Her heart fluttered. She wanted to believe that. Desperately. But was it true?
"Do you really?" she asked, her voice thick and heavy.
Talon watched as she opened the velvet-lined silver chest on his desk that held the tore that was identical to his, only smaller.
A woman's tore.
Nynia's tore.
She handed him the open box. "Or is it Nynia you love?"
Talon closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of his wife's tore. He should have destroyed it centuries ago.
But he couldn't.
He'd shut it away and kept it out of sight.
It had never been out of his thoughts.
Sunshine closed the box and returned it to his desk. "I have to do this. For me. I won't live my life afraid. Camulus knows we're together. He can take or kill me here as easily as he can in town. He's a god, Talon. It's not like we can hide from him."
Talon winced as her words tore through him. In his mind, he saw his uncle cut down as he struggled to his side. Saw the killing blow that had sent his uncle to the ground before Talon could reach him.
Pain ripped through his chest. He well understood Sunshine's need to prove herself, to have something of her own. But he couldn't send her out there alone, unprotected.
Besides, he needed his full strength to fight and protect her, which meant he needed more rest. If he went out tonight while he was exhausted, he could get them both killed.
If he returned to bed while she was here, he had little doubt that she would sneak out of the cabin the minute he closed his eyes.
And if she took his boat, he'd be stranded out here until he could get Nick to bring him the other boat in the shed.
Dammit.
"Fine," he said irritably, reaching for his cell phone. There was only one person besides Ash who had the strength and powers to fight a god and possibly escape him. "You can go, but you're taking someone with you."
"Who?"
He held his hand up to silence her as Vane answered.
The Katagari didn't sound particularly happy to hear his voice. "I didn't give you permission to call me, Celt."
"Bite me, Wolf-boy. I need a favor."
"You'll owe me a favor for it."
He looked at Sunshine.
For her, anything.
"And I'm willing to pay it," he said to Vane.