Free Lost in You by Alix Rickloff Page A

hand.”
    Her words trailed off as a shadow fell over both of them.

Chapter Ten
     
    Mr. Kay glanced up.
    A flash beyond Ellery’s right shoulder became the edge of a drawn sword, one she had last seen hanging in her room.
    She wheeled around, coming nose to tattooed chest with Conor. Dark swirls of color stained his arms, his shoulders. Mage marks. According to her father, the signs of magic and power. Right now, Conor radiated both with enough force to knock her back on her heels.
    “You stole it,” he said, his voice sharp as his blade and just as deadly. “You stole Ysbel’s ring.”
    “Let me explain,” she started.
    But he wasn’t looking at her. His glittering gaze was focused on Mr. Kay.
    The innkeeper backed away, shock fast becoming indignation. “I didn’t. The girl gave it to me.”
    Conor didn’t register the words, his glassy stare remaining fixed as he stepped down off the final stair.
    Mr. Kay threw the ring at Conor. “Here, take the cheap, ugly thing.” It pinged across the floor to be lost in the dark corners of the taproom.
    Conor threw himself forward, his sword sweeping out in a wide arc.
    Caught between them, Ellery dodged Conor’s attack, an easy feat since he could barely stand, but made difficult by the fact that her coat was sliding down one shoulder. She grabbed for it while trying to hold him back, but pushing against his chest was like pushing against a stone wall. “Conor. Stop.”
    Mr. Kay called on his dart-throwing friends to help him. They stood gape-mouthed for now. Ellery prayed they remained so. At this point, she couldn’t be sure who’d win such a battle. Conor sick was bad enough. Conor dead and she may as well stake herself out and wait for Asher and his pets to come and get her.
    “Move aside,” Conor ordered.
    “No. You’re sick. You’re not thinking, and you’re going to get us tossed out of here.”
    He advanced on Mr. Kay, dragging Ellery with him. “That bastard stole Ysbel’s ring.”
    “Careful tossing that word around. I might step aside and let him have at you.” The coat fell open again, giving one and all a great look at her legs, but by this point Ellery was past caring. “Stop, you great lumpen bullock.”
    Ellery was quick. No matter which way he turned, she was there. But beneath her hands, a change was taking place. His chest was broadening, if that was possible. His arms pulsed as if the muscles would burst through the skin. His eyes glowed yellow as suns in a face that was his and yet not, the angles hardening, the jawline lengthening. And, Good God. Fangs?
    She jumped back as if his touch scalded. “He’s one of them,” Mr. Kay yelled. “Knew it, I did. One of them Others . A monster.” He plucked a knife from behind the long counter. “Boys, get him. Before he springs.”
    “Out of my way, Ellery,” Conor growled.
    “They’ll kill you.”
    He flashed her a predatory smile. “Do you really think so? Move, or you’ll end up as dead as your father.”
    A knot formed in her chest. Stunned, she stepped aside, the fight sucked out of her by those horrible words. But around her the chaos still swirled.
    “Corner him,” the voices shouted. “Hold him there. Watch that sticker of his.”
    “Hold!” a new voice shouted. The man at the corner table stood up, his round face grim.
    Blood and smoke disappeared back into memory, her father’s staring eyes vanished beneath Conor’s furious glare. She held out a hand to stall the three others. “He’s fevered, and no harm to you. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
    Conor’s animal-stare moved slowly over them. She felt like a rabbit caught in the mesmerizing gaze of the wolf.
    “Enough. All of you,” the man in the corner said, and Ellery sensed the balance of power in the room shift in her favor.
    Even Conor hesitated under the command. Although that might have been weakness. Already, the beast was fading back into the man. He wavered on his feet, and Ellery rushed to catch