Page 10 of A Fury Of Shadows

From what Oscar had revealed to Nikolai upon his return to the Dark Council, Rose Blake had been Mae Jin’s best friend and a promising surgeon at Grandview General Hospital. Nikolai had no memory of the incident where Barquiel had taken over her body. According to Oscar, he and Alastair hadn’t been in New York at the time.

Rose looked over her shoulder when they crossed the room. She turned, a lazy smile stretching her lips as she raked Nikolai with her gaze. “Ah. The prodigal son has deigned to grace us with his presence once more.”

Nikolai frowned at her derisive tone. “I really don’t like you.”

Even though he kept his gaze on the demon, he didn’t miss Oscar’s surprised glance.

Rose’s smile faded.

Vedran sighed and looked up from his paperwork.

“How about you both calm down,” he told Nikolai and the demon. “I’m getting tired of your constant bickering.”

“You should just have sex and get it over with,” Oscar teased.

Nikolai curled a lip. “Oh, please. I wouldn’t sleep with her if you paid me in cold hard cash.”

Rose’s face turned into an icy mask. Crimson bloomed in her pupils.

Oscar burst out laughing. “I think you pissed off the demon, little brother.”

Nikolai studied Rose dismissively, a move he knew would enrage her possessor. “I’m pretty sure the two of us could take her on.”

The air trembled with the demon’s fury.

Vedran tapped a finger on his desk. “You test my patience.”

Nikolai glimpsed the warning in his eyes.

“My apologies, father,” he murmured.

Rose crossed her arms, her expression flinty.

Vedran studied Nikolai impassively for a moment. “You’re forgiven.” He rose and came over. “I’m pleased to see you and your familiar are in good spirits again.”

He stroked Alastair’s head with a knuckle. The crow crooned happily.

“Why did you want to see us?” Oscar asked.

Vedran glanced at him before returning to his seat. “It’s about our friend in New York.” He propped his elbows on the desk and studied them shrewdly over his steepled hands. “It appears she’s busy trying to create another spell to entrap you.”

Nikolai’s stomach twisted. His gaze flicked to the documents on the desk.

“Is that report about her?” he asked harshly.

“Yes.” Vedran leaned back in his chair. “I have spies watching every coven she’s affiliated with. Enrique Cortes, the Arcane Magic user who killed Raya, and Anya Mendes, the woman who cast the first Illusion Sorcery spell on you, are assisting Mae Jin. Anya’s magic won’t work on you now that we’ve broken it, so they’re actively looking for another way to chain you to her.”

Oscar’s face tightened. His gaze swung between Vedran and Rose.

“Can they really do that? I thought we’d disposed of pretty much anyone who could cast that spell except for the handful who now serve us.”

Nikolai masked his surprise. This was the first he was hearing about this.

Vedran shrugged. “This is the Witch Queen we’re talking about.” His blue eyes focused on Nikolai. “I can see why she’s desperate to reclaim you. You’re a precious commodity, after all.” A low chuckle escaped him. “One of a kind, even.”

Nikolai’s scalp prickled. The Sorcerer King’s stare was so zealous he feared it would pierce him.

He rid himself of the foolish notion that his father meant to harm him somehow and lifted his chin. “What’s our plan?”

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