The Curse (Belador #3)(48)

Lightning crackled overhead and thunder rumbled.

Wind raced through the park.

Bloody hell.





FIFTEEN




Stop it, Lanna.”

Lanna realized Quinn was shaking her shoulders. She blinked, looking up into his worried gaze. “What?”

“The storm,” he hissed near her ear. “Are you doing that?”

Thunder rumbled overhead.

She gulped air, glancing up at dark clouds threatening to break open and flood the earth. Breathing deep, she tried to calm herself. Slowly, the sky quieted. Elements reacting to her was only one problem she had because of taking Grendal’s potion. She did not drink by choice.

The cruel wizard had poured his potion down her throat to turn her into powerful puppet to do his bidding. No one, not even Grendal, had been prepared for bad reaction of her majik. Good thing. Explosion helped her escape wizard and Transylvania, but what had potion done to her majik?

Go home to Transylvania? She would not.

Could not.

She did not want to lie to her favorite cousin, but if Quinn knew truth, he would rush home with her to fix problem. And end up dead.

So technically, he was at fault for any dishonesty on her part. She patted his arm. “I am sorry about bad weather. Was not intentional. You scare me with threat of teleporting.”

He let go of her and shook his head, muttering, “You can affect the weather.”

“Sometimes. It is accidental.” She rubbed her head, which ached from little sleep. “You are master deal maker. What can I offer VIPER for me to stay? Not long. Only until I find teacher for majik.”

“Regardless of my negotiation skills, there is nothing either of us can offer VIPER in exchange for their allowing you to remain in this country. I would have to go through weeks of meetings. I simply don’t have the time right now.”

His phone buzzed. He grumbled something and put his phone to his ear, but he looked at Lanna and said, “Do not leave.”

“Finally we agree. I have no plan to leave.”

He covered the mouthpiece with his hand. “I only meant don’t leave while I’m on the phone. You are going home before anyone finds out you’re here.”

Her cousin would not win argument. Once he accepted this, he would talk to VIPER and fix everything. He must.

Quinn hid his mouth with his hand when he spoke into the phone, but Lanna heard the first part. “I had my mind closed to telepathy. I’m dealing with my family … problem. I spoke to Evalle. She’s getting what we need tonight …”

His gaze lost focus and he stopped speaking.

She had seen him look that way when he spoke telepathically and must be holding phone in place as a pretense.

With Quinn busy, Lanna sent her gaze skipping over chess players still in tight battles. Most were much older than her … except that blond one. Kellman. The one she had spent almost an hour with, and still had yet to pay her any attention beyond her skill at chess.

A lock of blond hair fell across his forehead, like a slash of light against his tanned skin. Only thing out of place in his orderly appearance. In spite of clothes that did not fit, Kell had efficient, controlled look.

A serious boy. Much too serious for someone her age, and so intent on chess he missed important things.

Like me.

No man should miss Brasko woman standing so close. We are like sun after dark winter, warm and bright. How could he not notice sun?

She was not wallpaper flower to be ignored. She had been adored since very small and noticed by boys as soon as she had breasts, instead of socks, to fill bras.

But Kell paid her no more mind than he paid the wrinkled-up man who took her place as his chess partner.

Still, he was nice boy and she owed him. He had stepped up next to her when a smelly older man in shaggy clothes and greasy hair had bothered her. She had struggled to keep her anxiety from upsetting weather and could not use majik to get rid of smelly man.

Cousin had told her not to use majik on humans, and her powers had already failed her three times since taking potion, so she only used energy force in small amounts that would not put anyone at risk.

She could tell Kell had been afraid when he stepped in to help, because he swallowed hard as if he expected a fight. He still moved between her and the smelly man. Kell said she owed him a game. When the man left, Kell had been surprised when she sat down to play.

But had he looked at her while they played? No. Had he talked to her? Only to ask what color she wanted to play. Then nothing.

Same way he was ignoring her now.

Staring hard, she moved her lips in a silent chant to the wind and sent three leaves down from tree above Kell to fall across his face.

He looked up, then down, startled. His eyes reached out with question, then his gaze landed on Lanna.

She tilted her head to say hello again. To let him know she had not left the park. She winked at him.

Red flags brushed his cheeks. He jerked his gaze back to the game.

She had embarrassed him with wink? This boy who had been her champion with nasty man?

Quinn made a sound that came out part tired and part out of patience as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. His eyes were shadowed. He had been sick not long ago. Lanna could tell. Men in this city needed to have fun.

Quinn said, “Back to what we—”

She spoke at the same time. “Let us sit down, Cousin.”