Page 121 of Harbinger

I reach for the book, so I don’t reach for him, and clutch it to my chest like it’s an anchor.

Like if I let go, I’ll shatter and never quite fit back together again. Or worse, make another reckless decision that I can’t take back. Because whatever this is—whatever he is—there’s already no going back.

Bishop finishes bandaging me, but he doesn’t stand up. “I expected more questions.” He nods to the book in my hands. “About that.”

The prompt cuts through the fog in my head, and I glance down at the title embossed on the cover.

Scions.

I almost drop it.

“It’s …” I clear my throat, suddenly hoarse. “It’s the book you stole from the shop.”

His expression darkens, lips pressing into a thin line as his eyes flick from the book to my face.

“I knew someone else was there,” he says at last.

I let out a brittle laugh. “Why did you take it?”

“I didn’t steal it.”

I lift an eyebrow.

“I have an arrangement with the owner,” he explains. “She lets me take what I want, and I don’t arrest her for possessing contraband.”

I stare at him. “That’s not an arrangement,” I say flatly. “That’s extortion.”

One corner of his mouth twitches. “Semantics.”

Something smooths the jagged fracture in my chest. Not relief. Nothing that generous. But the familiar rhythm of this, of pushing back and still finding him here. It feels almost … normal.

But it curdles in my stomach, sour. Wrong. I want to spit it out.

Not when Kieren is dead in the mud and I’m here. Alive, warm, and being tended to by a man who keeps saving me even when I don’t deserve it.

I lower my eyes to the book again, suddenly unable to meet Bishop’s gaze, and swallow. “What does the word mean?”

“Scion means …” He shifts back on his heels like a little distance might help him think. “It’s what I am.”

He falls silent after his cryptic declaration. I wait, but he doesn’t continue.

“That’s it?” I hesitate. Count his breaths. But he doesn’t give me anything else. “That’s all you’re going to say?”

He considers again, rubbing his index finger over his lips like he’s drawing his answer out deliberately to fluster me. “Yes.”

I blink as this processes, then explode. “That’s all I get? You came back from the fucking dead, and your explanation is a single word?”

Such a control freak.

“Do you honestly believe I’m going to accept that?”

He snorts. “No.”

He’s about to die for the second time tonight.

“You aren’t going to answer my questions?” I ask through gritted teeth.

Must not kill him. It will give Lenora more laundry to do.