Page 69 of A Fury Of Shadows

He was willing to bet it was Illusion Sorcery. The same Illusion Sorcery his father had accused Mae Jin of using against him. His frown deepened when he called to mind what Oscar had said about the Dark Council eliminating most who could cast that magic.

It all makes sense now. They probably forced the rest into their servitude.

He was pretty certain that the spell Mae Jin had placed inside Oscar in New York had been intended to break the illusion he was under. She’d known Vedran would ask him to help his brother.

But the spell had only cracked it. The fact that he had experienced it indirectly through Oscar’s core likely had a bearing on this.

It looks like my father’s out-of-control black magic last night undid more of it.

He curled his hands into fists. He needed to completely undo the sorcery crippling him if he wanted to be in control of his own actions and fate.

I have to find a way to get in touch with Mae. She’s the only one who can rid me of it!

His chest tightened with remorse and longing when the Witch Queen’s face floated before him. He wanted to kiss her again. Even though she probably loathed him for all he had done to harm her and their friends since being deceived into rejoining the Dark Council. He wondered whether he would ever have the opportunity to beg her forgiveness.

A soft sound had him looking around. Alastair was awake and watching him closely. Nikolai stroked the crow’s head with a knuckle.

“Do you remember her too, Al?” he mumbled.

Alastair crooned and butted his hand, regret pulsing across their bond.

Nikolai stilled.

Barquiel.His pulse quickened when he recalled the demon’s behavior the night before.He didn’t want Vedran to find theBook of Shadows. In fact, he looked pretty damn pleased when I took that fake tome out of that portal.

CHAPTER26

The Sorcerer Kingstood at the window of his office and stared out at the mid-afternoon sky. His anger chilled the air, so much so Barquiel saw Oscar shiver out of the corner of his eye.

He couldn’t sense the cold himself. Demonic souls never experienced any extremes of temperature. He could, however, feel emotions.

The relief he had experienced last night when he’d seen the fakeBook of ShadowsNikolai had extracted from the portal he had opened with Dietrich’s artificial compass still made him weak. He was conscious of how perilously close he’d come to losing the only chance he had to revive the person he cherished most in the world.

Barquiel frowned.For once, I have that bastard Azazel to thank for this fortunate turn of events. He must have planted a fake to fool whoever wished to find the book and use it for unscrupulous means. In fact, there’s probably not just one fake, but several.

“One of our Dark Council contacts has informed me that Mae Jin has been spotted in Budapest,” Vedran said coldly. “She’s likely trying to find Nikolai.”

Barquiel stiffened at his words. Oscar startled. He flinched when his father whirled around.

“Go to New York and find theBook of Lightby any means necessary,” Vedran ordered the sorcerer in a hard voice. “She won’t be able to stop you if she’s in Europe.”

Shit.Barquiel kept his expression detached out of sheer habit.

Oscar paled. “What?”

“Do not make me repeat myself!” Vedran barked.

Oscar recoiled. His lynx whimpered and darted behind his leg.

Barquiel watched the vein throbbing in the Sorcerer King’s temple.He’s losing control of his emotions. We definitely can’t have that.

“I believe you should reconsider,” the demon said calmly.

Oscar flashed him a grateful look.

Vedran’s gaze burned into him. “I shall ask for your counsel when I need it, demon!”

Irritation made Barquiel’s skin itch.

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