Dhalia. Dorian’s ex-lover.
‘You shouldn’t be down here.’
I look up to see Leo standing by the open door. His arms are folded across his chest as he looks from me to Sinthia.
‘And I know they wouldn’t want you in here with her.’
‘And what are you doing down here?’ I ask.
‘My job. Watching the witches locked down here.’
‘I smell Thalia on you.’ I sniff. ‘I smell her on your lips. Not surprising. She’s willing to let anyone screw her to get what she wants.’
His eye twitches.
‘Coming from you, that’s a little rich. I had to get everyone away from the fire so you could have privacy as those three fucked you into oblivion.’
I laugh and shake my head.
‘I’m not judging either of you,’ I reply, looking back down at Sinthia. ‘A girl’s gotta do… and all that. Truth be told, I couldn’t care less what Thalia does now. But there’s no fear in her scent, so I know you didn’t force her to doanything she wasn’t happy to do. I know a little something about that.’ I tilt my head to the side as I feel the necromancer magic inside me stir. That thread between me and the dead becomes stronger. ‘I’ve never met an air witch like you. You’re always so self-important and up your own arse.’ I look up at him, and he laughs.
‘And I most certainly have not met an earth witch like you. You’re usually so quiet and eerily sweet.’ His smile falters a little. ‘And they don’t drink blood or look at a dead body with fascination.’
‘You know what I am. You’re a witch. You know the laws, and you know the signs. You can say it to me. I won’t tell them that you know.’
‘Blood witch,’ he confirms.
‘Kinda. Not through choice. I’m a necromancer, too. Also an earth witch. I have access to both powers.’
‘Never heard of that before.’
‘Never existed before,’ I sigh, still looking down at my aunt. ‘You know Neve is back?’
‘I do.’
‘She killed me. When I resurrected myself, I was like them. I had teeth and a thirst for blood.’
‘If they know you’re telling me this, they’ll kill me.’
‘Then don’t tell them I told you,’ I reply.
He settles against the door frame and nods to Sinthia.
‘I’ve heard stories about her. The blood queen’s little sister. A sadistic and infantile woman.’
‘Yeah. I’ve heard a few stories about her, too.’
‘You really shouldn’t be down here, Ashe. Especially as a necromancer.’
‘You should go.’
I take anotherstep closer to Sinthia.
He straightens, a look of panic on his face.
‘I’ll tell them you’re down here, Ashe. I mean it.’
‘Go on then.’ I channel my earth magic and send a ripple of power through the ground, pushing him out of the door and to the stairs.