Three Mages and a Margarita (The Guild Codex: Spellbound, #1)

by Annette Marie

He smiled—not Aaron’s boisterous grin, but a quiet smile that exuded an infectious calm. And my stomach did another little somersault. Damn it.

“Would you … like a hug?” His gaze flashed to me. “A hug?” Already regretting the offer, I shrugged self-consciously. He hesitated, then lifted one arm in invitation. Surprised, I stepped over to him and put my arms around his shoulders. His hands settled lightly on my waist, almost like he wanted the option to push me away. I rested my head on his shoulder, my face turned away from his. My attention settled on the warm contact of another person—the rise and fall of his chest, the sound of his heart beating under my ear, his hands on my waist. The final jitters left my muscles and I relaxed. Hugs could work miracles, at least for me. When I was a ragey teenager hating all the adults in my life, Justin used to hug me until I calmed down, even if it took half an hour. As I closed my eyes, Ezra relaxed too, the tension sliding from his muscles. He slipped his arms around my waist, holding me more naturally—pulling me closer. Raising my head, I gave his shoulder a friendly pat and stepped back. “Better?” I asked in a chipper tone. “Yeah.” He gave me a faint smile. “Thanks.” I slapped the ice pack over my face again. “Let’s go inside, shall we?”

“Conflict surrounds you. You’re caught in the midst of a violent change, and deception lurks in the shadows, calling the conflict ever closer. Your past stands in the way of your future, but though you’ve walked this far alone, others are waiting to join you. Even greater change awaits you, but its form”—she lightly touched the Eight of Swords—“will be shaped by the fear that rules your heart.”

In Ezra’s arms, I felt safe and protected. Part of me wanted to melt against him and cry like a baby. Another part of me hated this false feeling of safety that would only last for as long as he was around. Sooner or later, I’d be on my own again. He held me as I steadied my breathing. With a quiet sniff—I was not crying, damn it—I raised my head.

On the surface, Kai seemed to be doing all the work, but the closer I watched, the more I saw their flawless teamwork. Kai’s organization and intelligence, Ezra’s sharp insight, and Aaron’s outside-the-box probing.

My gaze shifted from Aaron’s blazing blue eyes to Kai’s dark stare to Ezra’s mismatched irises. Under his simple black t-shirt were scars from injuries that would’ve killed most people. Behind Kai’s cool competence was scary, calculating intelligence. Beneath Aaron’s teasing grins was fiery confidence backed up by raw power I’d only glimpsed. Releasing my fear on a long

Growling, he grabbed for the box again. I dove away but he caught me around the waist and pushed me back into the closed door, then his head dipped down. He caught the other end of my chocolate stick in his mouth, his lips brushing across mine as he bit the end off.

Then Ezra, soft-spoken Ezra with the gentle smile, rammed both blades into Rigel’s back.