Chapter 10
Safe .
The word echoed through her like a bell tolling in the stillness, vibrating down into places she hadn’t let herself believe in for years. Her hands trembled in her lap, and she had to blink hard to clear the tears threatening to spill.
“I…” Her voice cracked. She pressed her lips together, tried again. “Thank you.”
Claudia inclined her head, a faint shadow of sympathy crossing her features. “You’ve been carrying chains a long time, Marigold. Not all of them are visible, but they can be broken. You’re not their prisoner anymore.”
The tears escaped then, hot trails sliding down her cheeks. She didn’t care. She’d never heard words like that from another mage before. Never heard anything but demands, commands, and cruelty.
She ducked her head, wiping quickly at her face, mortified to be breaking down in front of Gavin and this stranger. But when she dared to look up, Claudia’s eyes weren’t condemning. If anything, they were fierce, as if she’d like to march out and set the Rollins compound aflame herself.
And Gavin…
Gavin was watching her as if the tears weren’t weakness at all, but proof of something stronger. He didn’t move to pull her close or to push her to stop. He just let her be.
Marigold drew in a shaky breath and straightened a little, though her hands still shook. “It feels strange,” she admitted softly. “To hear it. That I’m not theirs anymore. That I’m safe.”
“You are,” Claudia said firmly. “The rest will come in time. Healing always does, if you let it.”
Marigold swallowed hard and nodded. She wasn’t sure she believed it yet, but she definitely wanted to.
Lunch should have been awkward. Sitting at the dining table with Gavin and Claudia, surrounded by the savory scent of brisket and warm bread.
Marigold expected to feel out of place, like an interloper among people who belonged.
But Claudia didn’t treat her like a problem to be solved.
She asked simple questions as they passed the dishes.
She inquired about what foods Marigold liked, what books she read, if she’d ever been to this part of the city before.
Nothing probing, nothing cruel. Just casual conversation.
At first, Marigold’s answers were halting, but Claudia’s matter-of-fact tone and the occasional dry joke smoothed the edges. Gavin added a comment here and there, mostly content to let the women talk, though his gaze never strayed far from Marigold.
Somewhere between her second helping of mac and cheese and a slice of cornbread, Marigold realized she was laughing. Quietly, awkwardly, but still, actual laughter it slipped out. Neither Gavin nor Claudia looked at her like she’d committed a sin. They just smiled.
When the meal was over, Claudia wiped her hands and reached into the leather satchel at her side.
“One more thing,” she said, her voice steady but her gaze sharp as it landed on Marigold. “You’ve been stripped of too much choice already. This is me giving you one back.”
She drew out a length of gold chain. At the end of it hung a pendant, no bigger than Marigold’s thumb, wrought in intricate, interlocking patterns that shimmered with faint light. Even before Claudia set it in her palm, Marigold felt the hum of magic radiating from it.
“What is it?” she whispered, her fingers trembling as they closed around the cool metal.
“A talisman,” Claudia said. “One that I made. It blocks outside attempts to tap into your power. As long as you wear it, no mage—Rollins or otherwise—can siphon your strength.”
Marigold’s breath caught. “They can’t use me anymore?”
Claudia shook her head. “Not while this is on you.”
The world tilted. For a moment, all Marigold could do was stare at the pendant glowing softly against her palm. Years of fear, and pain, of being nothing but a tool. It was as if all of it cracked and fell away in an instant. Her vision blurred. She blinked furiously, but the tears came anyway.
“I—I don’t know how to thank you,” she managed, her voice breaking.
“By wearing it,” Claudia said simply. She clasped a hand over Marigold’s trembling fingers. “And by remembering that you’re more than what they tried to make you.”
Gavin’s chair scraped softly as he stood, stepping closer. His presence loomed at her back, solid and warm, and for once, she didn’t shrink away. She let the tears fall, let the pendant’s weight settle against her chest, and felt confident in a way she never had before.
When Claudia gathered her things to leave, Marigold pressed the pendant to her heart, unwilling to let go.
Marigold excused herself after lunch, fingers curled protectively around the pendant as she disappeared down the hall toward the bedroom. Gavin watched until the door clicked softly shut before turning to Claudia.
He walked her to the front door in silence. Claudia didn’t hurry him. She just waited, eyes sharp and patient, as if she already knew what he’d ask.
“Where can I reach you if I have magical questions?” he asked quietly.
Her mouth quirked. “I’ll likely be with Sam. Granny Tucker’s got me assigned to him for the time being, at his request. I’ll be sticking close to him while I’m here.”
Gavin nodded. That figured. Sam didn’t let assets like Claudia wander free without a good reason.
“And Marigold?” he pressed. “She’s truly safe? There’s nothing left over from her so-called family clinging to her?”
Claudia’s expression softened, though her tone remained steady.
“She’s clear. No corruption, no hidden bindings.
But—” She tipped her head, studying him as if weighing how much to say.
“I did sense something else. She’s sitting on an immense store of magic bubbling just under her surface.
It’s locked tight, but it’s there. If it ever breaks loose, she’ll need help, and fast. If you see signs of that happening, you call me right away. Don’t try to manage it alone.”
His jaw tightened. His lion didn’t like the idea of anyone else touching what was his to protect, but his rational side recognized the wisdom.
“I’ll call,” he promised.
“Good.” She adjusted the strap of her satchel, then gave him a look that was just a little too knowing. “And you, Gavin. I sense you’ve got magic of your own. Feral, untamed, but there. If you want instruction while I’m here, I’d be happy to help you harness it.”
He raised a brow. “You think I need a tutor?”
“I think,” she said with a small smile, “that you’ve been ignoring that part of yourself for too long. Might be time to stop that and get a better handle on all you could be.”
He didn’t answer, but her words dug in deep, echoing the stir of power he’d long kept buried.
With that, Claudia opened the door. “Take care of her, Gavin. She’s stronger than she knows, but not invincible. Not yet.”
“I will,” he said simply.
She gave him one last searching look, then was gone.
Gavin shut the door and leaned against it for a moment, running a hand through his hair.
He’d felt Claudia’s words hit somewhere down deep.
He’d call her if he had to, but first, he’d do everything in his power to make sure Marigold never reached the breaking point.
After Claudia left, Gavin retreated to the office, forcing himself back into reports and intel files. The triumvirate of Ash, Narcissus, and Fern stared at him from the bulletin board, their faces a reminder that this war wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
When the soft sound of footsteps drew his attention, he looked up and found Marigold standing in the doorway.
She’d changed into one of the spare outfits he’d had stocked in the guest closet.
Simple cotton pants and a pale shirt looked great on her, but it wasn’t the clothes that caught his eye.
It was the gleam of gold at her throat. The talisman.
She touched it absently as she hovered in the doorway, and there was something easier in the set of her shoulders, some tension that had bled away.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
She nodded, a small smile flickering over her lips. “It feels different. Like I can breathe without waiting for someone to come get me.”
He knew what they would summon her for, and the thought made his fists clench. Her words twisted something inside him, but he did his best to keep his tone even.
“Good. That’s how it should be. You shouldn’t have to live in fear, Goldie.”
For a moment, they lingered in silence, the weight of her experiences laying silent between them.
Gavin had too many files on his desk that all pointed to systemic torture of the small woman standing before him.
It made him sick to even think about what she’d been through.
Gavin shut the folder in front of him with a decisive snap.
“You know what?” he said, leaning back in his chair. “We need a break.”
Her brows rose, cautious but curious. “A break?”
He powered up the computer in the corner and beckoned her over. “Yeah. Time to get you some clothes. Things you pick out yourself.”
Her eyes widened as she came around the desk. “You mean ordering online?”
“Exactly.” He typed quickly, pulling up one of the clothing retailers his female cousins used often. Bright images filled the screen of dresses, jeans, and sweaters. Choices in every color and style. He watched her eyes go wide and heard her breath catch.
“I’ve seen ads for this,” she whispered, awe coloring her tone. “I didn’t think I’d ever be allowed to do it myself.” She trailed off, shaking her head.
“Well, now you can,” Gavin said firmly. “Go on. Pick something you’d like to wear tomorrow. Get enough outfits for a week or so, while you’re at it.”
Tentatively, she reached for the mouse, her fingers brushing his as she took control. That small touch made his lion sit up inside his mind, but he kept still, watching as she scrolled through the options with careful fascination.
Her choices were modest. Simple tops, soft leggings, a cardigan and a few other pieces, but the light in her eyes grew with each click. When she was finished, Gavin took over and checked out, using his own payment credentials.
“Done,” he said. “They’ll be delivered tomorrow.”
She blinked at him, as if struggling to believe it. “Just like that? I can really have them?”
“Just like that,” he confirmed. Then, before the emotion in her gaze could undo him, he added, “And since we’re already here, let’s restock the kitchen a bit. What do you like?”
She hesitated. “Um…apples. Turkey. And I want to try ice cream. Jeremiah didn’t approve, so I’ve never tasted it.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“Sadly not. Can we get a small tub so I can at least try it?”
Gavin smirked and added a collection of ice cream flavors to the grocery order, tossing in some other items he thought she might like. Then, he checked out as he’d done on the clothing site.
“It’ll arrive tomorrow.”
Her laughter, soft and incredulous, filled the office. For the first time since she’d walked into his life, she looked like a woman discovering the world belonged to her, not just to the people who’d caged her. Gavin decided, then and there, he’d do whatever it took to keep that look on her face.
“Now, we haven’t discussed dinner. Do you have any preference? I can order from pretty much anywhere. Italian, Chinese, burgers and fries. Whatever you want,” he began, watching her face light up as he rattled off a few choices.
“Burgers and fries, please,” she responded immediately.
“Perfect. I know a great place that will deliver. I’ll set up an order to be delivered later today. Should I schedule for about six? Or would you prefer to eat earlier, or later?” he asked.
She seemed to think about it for a moment. “How about seven? I’m not super hungry after that big lunch, but I would like a cheeseburger for dinner, if that’s okay.”
“It’s more than okay, Goldie,” he told her gently. “I’ll order your cheeseburger, fries and a few other things you might like for delivery before seven. It’s a date.”
That simple turn of phrase sent an odd shiver through him.
A date. If he’d met her under any other circumstances, hell yeah, he’d want to date her.
She was sweet, and despite all she’d been through, she had courage and was still a nice person inside and out.
At least, that’s what he was coming to believe.
He’d been suspicious of her at first, of course, but the more he was around her and the more they talked, the more he came to like her.
And the more he came to believe that she was a good person born to a terrible family.
She’d been harmed by them more than anyone should have to withstand, but she was stronger than their abuse.
She was remarkably resilient and stronger than any woman should have to be, but he was thankful for it all.
She was here, and she was relatively unscathed from all the horror that had come before. He’d do everything in his power to keep her safe from now on. Starting with ending her family, once and for all. They would never terrorize her again. Not if he had anything to say about it.