Page 397 of Once Upon a Fable

Jareth nodded. “Parable’s key.” He inhaled on his smoke, his bi-colored eyes aloof and unreadable. “You’re welcome.”

Kas plucked it from my palm, his forehead furrowed. “Where did you get this?”

“Found it tucked on one of the stairs.” Jareth cocked his head. “I’m guessing you lost it? Otherwise, why else would you still be wearing pieces of that disgusting chain?”

Kas rolled his shoulders, staring at the key as if so many locks had been undone tonight.

In a way, they had.

Alcohol had helped fade a few boundaries. The sensible part of me worried what drinking straight bourbon would do to Kas with his ongoing concussion. But the other, more reckless part, was grateful we’d had the courage to overcome so many things.

So what if alcohol had been involved? It’d helped, so screw the consequences.

Jareth took another drag, his attention settling on my bare shoulders. “At least that time was better.” He grinned. “You seemed to enjoy yourself at least.”

My cheeks heated. “Go away.”

“What and leave you at the mercy of him?” He chuckled while arching his chin at Kas. “He still has a long way to go.”

Goosebumps shivered down my spine. “And I’m prepared to help...however long it takes.”

“Think you’re family now, Gemma Ashford?” Jareth asked coolly.

My spine straightened. “I’m—”

“Yes, she is. She’smyfamily now. So I suggest you tread carefully, brother,” Kas said equally as cool, turning the tiny key in his fingers.

Jareth bowed, his cigarette glowing as he added a hand flourish. “Of course. I suppose that’s fair. After all, we were baptized in blood together. I’m guessing you’ve drawn hers enough to warrant letting her join our band of slaves.”

“She’s no slave.”

“Everyone is a slave if they’re in love,” Jareth muttered, throwing his cigarette onto the expensive carpet and crushing the embers into ash with his boot.

I gasped.

Ugh, what a waste.

I agreed this house was a monstrosity for what’d occurred in its shelter, but it didn’t deserve cigarette holes in its beautiful carpets.

Jareth smiled at me, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

A shiver ran down my back.

I couldn’t get a read on Jareth. Unlike Kas, who I’d been able to decipher almost right away, a forcefield around his brother bounced off all my attempts. I didn’t understand how he could sound so genuine and gracious in some things, yet only a few hours ago, he’d contemplated killing Kas as if he was nothing more than a bug to squash, all to protect me—a total stranger.

He was an enigma, and I didn’t like things I couldn’t understand.

Kas shifted to face me, angling the covers so they stayed over his naked lap. “Give me your leg, Gem.”

I hesitated only a moment.

Kas hadn’t been lying when he said he’d lost the key.

It’d been his faulty mind. He’d genuinely lost it, and somehow...Jareth had found it.

I threw Jareth another suspicious look.

Ever since he’d arrived, things had moved so fast. It felt as if he’d pressed fast-forward, shoving us out of our slow-paced motions, forcing us to bulldoze through walls that’d seemed impossible to breach.