Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5)

by Ilona Andrews

Aha. “Would you like to watch a movie while we eat?” “Sure. What sort of movie?” “It has everything: action, drama, comedy, beautiful soundtrack. Hot male lead.” His thick eyebrows crept up half an inch. “That last one isn’t exactly a plus.” “Jealous of the actors now, are we?” “What, of some fancy boy on the screen? Inconceivable.”

“As long as we’re on the subject,” Curran said. “ ‘The man thrust it back into the wound and spoke the words that bound the wolf to obey him forever.’ If you do this, Julie will never be able to disobey a direct order from you. You will be making a slave.” I glanced at him. “I thought about that. I don’t know if it’s even necessary for the ritual, but I can’t take that chance. I’ll have to do it exactly the way Roland did.” “She can never know,” Curran said.

I pulled my hair up into a bun and headed for the door. Barabas handed me a note in Evdokia’s curvy Russian script. It read: A gift for you, Katenka. Thank me later. Beware of gifts from Baba Yaga—they came with strings attached, and sometimes if you took them, you ended up in the oven as dinner. “Did she come alone?” “No, Evdokia’s daughters brought her.” Barabas’s grin got wider. “I checked into it and she and Grigorii have five children. They’re their own private Russian mafia.”

I petted my sword. Every second counted. “Does Curran not involve you in his strategic sessions?” Ghastek asked. “Nope, I’m just here to look pretty.” Curran didn’t need me. I wasn’t a general; I was a weapon in need of a target. Arranging large groups of people into an attack force wasn’t my thing.

“Why do you sneak up on me like that?” “It’s funny.” “It’s not.” I leaned into him and he put his arm around me. “It’s hilarious. It’s almost as funny as your snoring.” “I don’t snore.” He nodded with a wide grin. “It’s a quiet peaceful kind of snoring. Like a small cuddly Tasmanian devil. Kind of cute when sleeping, all claws and teeth when awake.” “You snore worse. At least I don’t turn into a lion in my sleep.” “I only did it once.” “Once was weird enough, thank you.”

“My lord, my lady, may I say that I am delighted that my favorite alpha is feeling better. Why, you’ll be running recklessly into danger against overwhelming odds anytime now.”

Morgan’s Bells. I knew these flowers; I had made them. They’d sprouted during the flare on the spot where I’d cried my eyes out, holding Bran’s lifeless body. Next to me Curran was very still. I willed my mouth to move. “Is there a card?” Barabas nodded and passed me a small white rectangle folded in half. I flipped it open. Congratulations on your victory, Your Highness. Looking forward to our next meeting. Hugh