Mcca

wn the sticky counter, pouring drinks, collecting empty glasses. The

he wide silk scarf still crossed my neck and covered

unreadable. She slid a cup of b

e said, her tone gruff. "Ju

er. "Yesterday," I started, my voice low, "

e smoke curling around her face. "What do you want

'?" I asked the question

te. "Because he's sick," she said, her

That man? The one who radiated pow

was hit with a silver-laced weapon in a battle years ago. S

ntrol had shattered, the way his primal instincts h

ith the purest, most powerful bloodline. He was engaged once, years ago, to a princess

nemies got to her. Others say... others say he got rid of her

nausea was

thing in my blood? Was I just another potential cure? Another sa

covering my shoulder. The skin b

garette. "So you get it now, kid? To him, yo

ius was now coated in

nother. The date that had once been circled on my cal

led on the bar's calendar was a sharp, unexpected jab to the hear

ned up the mess

rain splattered against the windows. Soon, it was a torrential downpour, a wall of water lashing the c

e deluge. It felt like the sky was

Rowan. "I ha

ng storm outside. "Are you insane? Where

y calm. My heart was a

" I said. "The one I

was going to watch Hassan choose the life he had traded me f

he didn't argue. She just reached under the bar, grabbed

id. "But you