Shadowborn Read Free Page B

later, after we get this day over with.”
    I put space between us. “Why is it always later? Just like every time I ask you what happened with the Magi that hired your guys to steal the selkies’ skins months ago.”
    “Tonight, I promise. We’ll find a place and spend the night wrapped up in one another.”
    Deflated, I hugged myself. “And where will we go this time? Under a pine tree? In a dark corner of an abandoned building again? In the midst of mold and rats? Where is there in this world that fae eyes can’t see, Liam?”
    “You didn’t seem to mind last time.” A dark grin curled his full lips. “You seemed to enjoy yourself. More than a few times if I remember correctly.”
    I forced away the memory of that night, though a shudder rocketed up my core. “Don’t change the subject. You know I love being with you, but this sneaking around like criminals, this longing for you is driving me insane.”
    “What are you saying?” The hurt in his voice brought pain into every part of me.
    I whirled around and stared at the towering, granite wall. Months of hurt and loneliness speared me square in the heart. “I’m saying we need to go. We have people to help, and our own still to reunite. Whatever this is we’re doing together is going to have to wait.” I sprinted to the cavern and stepped inside.
    A yellow distortion shimmered and spiraled on the polished wall. I pressed my body close until the portal sucked me inside. Cold and dizzying, the void tugged at my body and made it impossible to tell which direction was up. Every cell in me seemed to come apart and reassemble a few times before I arrived inside the lobby of the new coalition headquarters. At least I’d grown accustomed to using otherworldly modes of transport without tossing my cookies the way I used to. Go, me.
    White sofas sat in a huddle in front of the walls made of frosted glass. Lavender air freshener stung my nose.
    Liam emerged behind me, remaining by the portal while I made my way to Gallagher.
    “Are you well?” Gallagher offered me his hand, but as usual, I didn’t take it.
    “Effing peachy. Can we get on with this?” I hated that Gallagher had put his foot down on my language. He’d said something about the f-word fueling my anger. I’d have told him to go eff himself, but it just didn’t have the same ring.
    Donovan, my father, sat in a chair nearby. His light brown hair, cut shorter than he usually wore it, matched his goatee. He offered a small smile, but the tight lines of his mouth relayed worry. He was all I had remaining of my family, yet I couldn’t even tell any of my people about our relationship. Fae with mixed Seelie and Unseelie blood were considered no better than mutts at a purebred dog show.
    Nix stood farther down the bright hallway. Beside him, Cas—one of Parthalan’s former guards—offered me a shy wave and a smile.
    Gallagher searched my head again, little tendrils of thought creeping around like worms in my brain. He knew about the curse Parthalan left behind, though I didn’t think he’d picked up that Donovan was my father. If he did, he hadn’t let on.
    “Are you in control?” Gallagher asked.
    I groaned, letting my head fall back in exaggerated annoyance. “You too? Do I have ‘crazy fae’ written on my forehead today?”
    Voice lowered, he said, “Your emotions are always more … volatile when the Unseelie is near.” Unseelie came out sounding as if he’d bitten into a juicy slug.
    “Liam. His name is Liam.” I sighed, tired of the petty bickering between my people and the Unseelie Sidhe. How I’d reunite the two stubborn factions still eluded me. “Yes, I’m in control.”
    “I have put measures in place in the event that you are overwhelmed by your … dark predator.”
    “My dark predator. Nice.” I moved away, arms crossed. On a second thought, I turned back. “What kind of measures?”
    “A way to isolate you from the humans in a hurry should the need arise.” He