The Dark Calling (The Arcana Chronicles #5)(93)

Jack had started to argue, but Aric had cut him off: “I am asking you not to get in my way, mortal.”

“Then knock yourself out, Reaper. I’ll be inside keeping my girl warm.”

As we’d watched Aric shoving aside the first wreck, Jack’s lips had parted. “Has he always been that strong?”

I’d shaken my head. “Supernaturally so. But not like this.”

Over the night, I would rouse from the shock of cold whenever Aric opened the door to go move another vehicle. But then I would promptly pass out again.

I raised my hands to the air vent. “It’s getting colder.”

Jack enfolded me in his strong arms, his delicious warmth seeping into me. “’Cause we’re heading up into the mountains.”

“You know that’s not the reason it’s this cold.” The weather continued to deteriorate. The idea of remaining out in the Ash during snowmageddon was laughable. I had no choice but to face Paul. My out-of-options brand of bravery would be forced to rise again.

“I also know the midwife said you shouldn’t be worrying about things you can’t control.”

Ah, but maybe I did have some control over the weather. With the end of the game, the earth should return. Maybe all the united Minors truly would call open season on the Majors, hurrying things along.

Jack stroked my hair behind my ear. “So, we goan to talk about went down with the Cups?”

If we must.

“You didn’t have to take that risk, Evie. Letting her have your blood.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Because you would do anything to save Domīnija? Was the alternative so bad—living out a life with me?”

I drew back from him. “Aric said the same thing when I tried to turn back time to resurrect you. Of all the things I’ve done to him over the millennia, I think that hurt him the worst.”

Jack glanced in Aric’s direction, as if trying to imagine how the man must’ve felt. “What happened with your powers in Jubilee?”

“I barely remember the attack.”

“You blanked out?”

“No, not exactly.” How to explain what I’d felt? “It was like an out-of-body experience, with the red witch in control.” Snippets of memories kept slipping into my consciousness.

The sound of my new noose tightening. Of bones snapping. The smell of their fear mixed with my roses.

Practice for the Hanged Man?

Lorraine had whispered something about Richter right before I’d ended her. What, what? “I get scared by what I can recall.”

Jack’s expression said it’d scared him too. “I goaded you, but it seemed different than it’d been in the past.”

“Do you remember when you beat up that man who wanted to hurt your mom? You looked as if some force had overtaken you. I felt the same way. Out of control. Horrified by myself after the fact. But at the time . . .”

“Everything was right in the world?”

“Yeah.”

“Evangeline, it ain’t ever goan to be easy with you, is it?”

“Nope.” He’d asked me that before, and my answer had never wavered.

“No matter what happened, I’m proud of you for taking care of business.” He jerked his chin toward the cave. “How’re you doing with him around?”

“Conflicted. You?”

“Same. Granted, he’s handy to have on our side. But this has got to be messing with your mind. I doan know that I could sit beside someone who’d recently tried to off me.”

And who’d succeeded in the past. “The red witch wasn’t exactly a fan of Aric’s before he nearly skewered me, and she’s not discerning. If she slips the leash . . .”

“I sure would miss him.”

Smartass Cajun. “Part of me wants to hurt him for everything I’ve been forced to endure. But not like she would. Never like that.”

Jack sighed. “Still in love with two.”

“I wish I wasn’t. I really do.”

He gruffly said, “Whenever we get started together, he always rides in and rips us apart. We had a good thing goan before he came along.”

Good thing? Jubilee could never have lasted. But the castle was life support, the spaceship on the surface of the moon. And Paul now ruled over it.

Did the Hanged Man sleep in the room I’d shared with Aric? Bile rose in my throat. What if he tried something with Lark? Mind-controlling her into his bed? “Jack, we’re going to figure everything out. But first I’ve got to take Paul down. You won’t talk me out of it, and I won’t let you go in my place.”

“We’ll see about that.” He brushed his scarred knuckles over my cheek. “I’d kiss you to take your mind off things, but I made you a promise not to pressure you. Considering how you respond to me, well, it wouldn’t even be fair to the Reaper.”

My lips twitched. “Very big of you.”

“If you knew how bad I want more of what we enjoyed . . .” He leaned in to nuzzle my ear, his stubble giving me shivers. “This is a sacrifice without equal. Woman, you turned me inside out.”

I sucked in a breath. “Mutual.”

Snow crunched outside. Considering how quiet Aric could be, he must be purposely making noise. Can’t stand to see us together? Should’ve decided to come take my icon sooner.