Page 91 of Alchemy of Souls

I swipe a pillow from his bed and march toward the fireplace. “Lie… omission. Same thing. You’re always an infuriatingcontradiction. You say you hate your uncle, and yet you play the perfect nephew. You say you’re a bad person, yet you go out of your way to protect me at every turn, even from yourself.”

“Drop it, Claws,” he says in a dangerous way. Except I’m not scared of him.

I throw the pillow onto the rug. “No, I don’t think I will. Because I might be new to all this, but I know you want to kiss me. I didn’t think so yesterday. But today you insist on getting my gran the medicine she so desperately needs. And you tell me to sleep in another bedroom because you’re worried about my comfort more than your uncle’s wrath. Be a coward all you want. But I know how you look at me.”

He groans like I might be killing him. “You’re making this impossible.”

“I’d argue that you are.”

His rubs his forehead. “And screw your coward comment, by the way, because I could talk about how much I want you all day and all night. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a bad idea. Plain and simple.”

All I hear in that statement is that he wants me and now I can’t drop it. “Why? Why is it a bad idea? No more lies. Tell me the truth, Gray.”

He throws his hands in the air. “Because it’s complicated!”

“Give mea reason!”

Something cracks in his resolve and he almost looks pained. “Because I can’t give that Key to my uncle, all right? Iwon’t.”

I freeze, blinking at him.

He doesn’t go on, but his eyes storm.

“And what? Some speck of a conscience took over and you felt guilty about flat-outbetraying me?” My voice rises.

He stares at me, eyes hardened. “I told youI’m nota good person.”

The air crackles around him, and for a brief second a ball of white fire explodes above our heads—basically the magical equivalent of letting off steam.

“Fuck,” he says as the fire disappears.

The room suddenly feels wobbly. “Your uncle will literallykillme if I don’t give him that Key,” I say, horrified.

“I told you. I’d never let that happen,” he says.

Angry tears spring to my eyes. “How could you stop him? He’s the strongest Mage our world has seen in a century and you’re a first-year University student.”

“He killed my brother!” he says with so much emotion that I feel it in my own chest. “He killed Liam because he called the Key.”

I suck in air so fast I feel lightheaded. Because of all the things I thought he’d say, that definitely wasn’t one of them. And worse still, it might be the only reason I could actually understand. Would I do the same thing if he killed my little sister? You’re damn right I would. I’d bury a dagger in the bastard’s heart.

“Take the bed,” he says one more time and sits down on the couch, his head in his hands. He flicks his wrist, turning out every light except the one shining under the door leading to his bathroom.

I want to say more. But in this moment, I don’t even know what. I’m hurt. I’m confused. And the shock of it has me spinning. Thoughts in a tangle, I plod past him and climb back into his bed.

CHAPTER 45Grayson

6 DAYS TO GO

Long after Eloise falls asleep, her breath turning even and heavy, I lie awake giving myself hell for what I said. I’m beginning to suspect she has some weird magic that literally rips my secrets from my chest. Because the Grayson of a week ago would never have told her that. I still can’t believe I did. And yet for the first time in my life, I hate lying to someone.

When I do sleep, it’s interrupted by moments of panic where I sit straight up. Only to realize I’m on this dinky couch, with Eloise projecting calming emotions in her sleep. It helps in a way, scenting what she’s feeling, and I eventually fall back asleep because of it. Which freaks me out all over again, because I haven’t relied on anyone since my brother. And I sure as hell don’t want to start relying on the one person I’m bound to disappoint.

No one is more surprised than me that I somehow sleep until eleven thirty, only to be awakened by an insistent knock on my door.

I push up from the couch and rub my eyes. “Coming,” I say, with a rough voice.

Eloise sits up in bed, beautiful with her long braid and my T-shirt slipping off her shoulder. My gaze catches on her bare skin and I have to force myself to look away. Enough, Grayson. You’ve already done too much here.