Sin sighed and frowned. “Are you sure? I feel bad for just leaving you here by yourself.”
“I'm not by myself. I have Paul.” I waved at the screen and waggled my brows. “The silver fox with the chilling stare.”
Sin chuckled. “All right. I won't be gone long.”
“But don't wait up for him.” Ninkasi winked at me as she grabbed Sin's arm and pulled him out of the apartment.
I grinned after them but then the door shut, and I heard the slide of the lock. The sound brought home the fact that I was all alone. For the first time since I'd lost everything. My first instinct was a pathetic one; I wanted to burst into tears. With Sin gone, I could relax into my melancholy and really mourn without worrying that he might hear me. But then the stronger part of me slapped the weaker part and told it to grow a damn spine.
I managed to stop my tears but I needed a little more fortification than my inner voice. So, I decided to drink more than Sin would approve of, watch another episode of the Great British Bake Off, and cry only when one of the nice people got booted off the show.
I did pretty well with that plan. Crying for strangers felt better than crying for myself and it gave me an excuse to give in to the waterworks. I made it through a whole episode and only drank one glass of wine. I was barely tipsy and had only cried once, which I took as a win. See? I can be left to my own devices and not crumble. I'm still the Godhunter, no matter what they take from me.
“Oh, sweetie!” I whined sympathetically when frosting started to melt off a contestant's cake. “Oh, no. Don't cry. Someone help her!”
The other contestants rushed to help, and I breathed a sigh of relief. There were still good people in the world. Damn, that was comforting. I poured myself another glass of wine but a knock at Sin's front door made me flinch and spill a little. My heart started pounding rapidly. I set the bottle down and clutched my throw blanket to my chest as I stared at the living room doorway. The front door was just down the hall, next to the kitchen.
The pounding came again.
“Just ignore it. They'll go away,” I whispered to myself. “They're not here for you; no one knows you're here.”
“Dragon bitch!” Marduk's voice came with the next knock. “Open up; I need to talk to you!”
I leapt off the couch and backed into a corner, holding my blanky like a toddler. That bastard must have been watching Sin's place. He knew I was there and he knew I was alone.
“Shit!” I hissed to myself. “Stop it, Vervain, you're stronger than this.” I straightened and took a deep breath. “Find a weapon and stand your damn ground.”
“You're going to want to hear this!” Marduk shouted. “I can give you back everything.” He paused and then amended. “Nearly everything.”
I froze as my mind raced. Why would Marduk help me now? I stepped hesitantly toward the front door. The pounding kept coming as I approached. Every knock sent shivers through Sin's ward, making it ripple and shine like the surface of a lake. I had to remind myself that he couldn't come in. I could open that door and Marduk wouldn't be able to cross the threshold, just as it had been with Cephissus at my place. I had nothing to worry about. Except, if Marduk was still there when Sin returned, he might hurt Sin.
“What do you want?” I growled through the door.
The knocking stopped.
“Your territory,” he snarled.
“Well, you can't have it,” I said snidely. “Didn't think that one through, did you?”
“You could still give it to me.”
“Not anymore, I can't. It's not mine to give.”
“Yes, that's where our bargain would come into play,” his voice went sinister.
“What bargain?” I leaned closer to the door.
“The one you're going to make with me to get your life back.”
I went still again. Marduk wanted my territory and was willing to barter for it. Could it be this simple? Could I really get my life back this easily?
“I'm listening,” I finally spoke.
“I'll undo everything I did to you, and then you will take me to your territory and transfer its magic to me.”
“Why would either of us trust the other?” I asked warily. “I could run as soon as you gave me back my life. Or you could betray me seconds after I gave you my territory and wreck my destiny all over again.”
“We will swear a blood oath to each other,” he said grimly. “If either of us breaks our vow, the magic will curse us.”
“I have no magic to make an oath with,” I snarled.
“Yes, you do. It's just suppressed,” he insisted. “I will release it first and then we will make our oath.”
I considered it. A territory in exchange for my family, friends, and magic. It was a no-brainer. But I still hesitated. If it seems too good to be true...
“I'll release it now as a show of good faith,” Marduk said.
Something burst inside me with such power that I could practically hear it explode. I fell to the floor as magic rushed through me, emerging from my very cells. Gasping and clawing at the floor, I reveled in the release of my Fey essence. It exploded from the bonds imposed on it and my body suddenly remembered what it was. Power raged inside me. Fire. I burned but in the sweetest way possible. Scales lifted from beneath my skin, bringing with them a feeling of invincibility. I was strong again! A dragon roared inside me, gathering herself from the hidden magic within my blood. She filled my body and stretched as if she'd been asleep for too long. My limbs thrummed the floor. Flames filled my vision. Immortality poured through me and yanked
