The Coven's Source

Chapter Fifty-Nine

'So, Cara really is dead.' He murmured as he ran his thumb alone his jaw.

'Yes.'

'Yet the curse is still in you.'

I flushed, unable to speak and focused on making Henrik comfortable when he squirmed gently. Something about the way Grigore looked at me, irritated and hungry, just turned my mind numb.

'Yes.' I forced out. 'I can remember Tatyana casting it. Cara only made it.'

Grigore gazed at me, his eyes hard and dark and song crackling hotly, rippling over my skin possessively. It made my heart race so madly.

'Check Kirill. Make sure both boys are safe.' He demanded before he rose, drawing himself to his full height, his frame broad and imposing and swiftly increasing my need to touch him. My fingers itched to feel him explore him properly, a man mine but one I couldn't remember. I wanted to know what he felt like.

Kirill yanked his attention from the small frog bathing in her bowl of water when Grigore tapped his back.

'Kirill, leave Helma be. Go to Lyra.'

Kirill glanced at me before he rose, slipping to my side with a glimmer of worry.

'You'll be safe now, Kirill. If Henrik is clear, you should be too. I just need to double check.' I reassured as Grigore came to loom over me and scooped the boy into his arms.

I watched as Grigore sat in his chair, mesmerised by how careful he was with Henrik, his hands easily swallowing the child. Henrik was quiet, grasping at Grigore's shirt as his eyes drooped, exhaustion from being awake so late taking him. Grigore simply leaned back, letting Henrik lie on him with a hand over his back, keeping him secure and warm. The sight tugged at me, my heart blooming and my desire for children being swept to the surface. It took me by surprise, as did every reaction I had to Grigore did. When Grigore looked to me, his gaze curious, I swiftly turned my attention to Kirill who had pulled a stool up to sit in front of me.

'Will it hurt?' He asked anxiously.

'No. It won't. Then you can sleep.' I said hurriedly, trying my best to ignore Grigore's dark eyes boring into me, his song brushing against mine curiously. It made me increasingly shy that I knew he'd felt it; that warm swell. But I didn't want him to know I knew I was his, not until I could remember everything and assess the best way to fix things. Facing him, a stranger who knew me but I didn't know in turn, made me feel so flustered. He was a man I was supposed to know but didn't, a man I was meant to love but betrayed...

I gently took Kirill's hand in mine before the thoughts I'd heard in the bath came back, the real voice of me who remembered everything and was so full of hate for me for hurting Grigore. I felt Kirill stiffen at my touch and noticed the determined stare on his features as he tried to cover up his anxiety.

'Is Helma well?' I asked instead.

'Yes. I don't know if she knows she's human or a frog inside. She doesn't really respond when I ask her to do something to test if she's there, but she's way too placid to be an animal. She seems to relax when I talk to her.'

'She seems to trust you.'

Kirill parted the briefest of smiles before he frowned. 'I hope my family is okay. Do you think they were hit by that frog curse?'

I hesitated. 'I don't know. I know anyone within the city was touched by it, but your family lives some distance. They may be okay.'

'But they're near the mist.'

'Yes.' I agreed softly, knowing they could be at greater risks. They had been associated to us as well through Petrov and they had suffered for it once before.