Page 48 of Cursed Magic

Despite my dizziness, I managed to note his reaction. I snorted. “That was super cheesy.”

“Yes, but it got a smile out of you, which was the goal.” He winked.

A little bit of anxiety unwound in my chest, and soon, Kendric came out with Ryker in his arms, carried like a princess. As soon as Kendric was out of the car, Raven was at his side.

She opened her mouth, but Kendric strode past her to Gage, and we headed inside. Raven followed us through the house, her footsteps soft and deliberate.

Within seconds, we entered the bedroom, where a pale-faced Briar stood by Ryker’s bed, holding two red Solo cups. The mattress was covered in a thick white comforter to protect it from bloodstains.

I could only assume they used white so they could bleach it when we were done with them.

“Put them both here,” Briar commanded, urgency in her voice as she gestured to the bed.

The two men obeyed, Gage settling me on the side closest to my sister. My head spun, but Briar handed one cup to Gage while she pressed the straw of the other to my lips. “Drink this.”

The potent scent of nutrients wafted from it—protein powder, sugar, electrolytes. I took a huge gulp, the liquid coating my throat and washing away the taste of blood.

I glanced at Ryker, who drank as he slept. No doubt the influence of his wolf wanting to heal.

A huge sigh left me. Maybe he’d be okay.

“Kendric, I know you’re upset.” Raven bit her lip. “But—”

Kendric spun around, his normally calm eyes blazing. He snarled, “Are you sure you want to do this now?”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The last thing we needed was more drama and heartbreak. Everyone had been on edge, but for the past thirty-six hours, our situation seemed to have gotten worse and worse. The Blackwoods were attacking us both mentally and physically, and they were succeeding in getting us to turn on one another.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I wasn’t fast enough.

“I don’t understand why you’re so upset with me.” Raven blinked, the flash of pain on her face almost too quick to catch.

Clenching his hands into fists, Kendric growled. “I’m not sure what you don’t understand. You had time to contact Ambrosia and coordinate a rescue with her guards, but not to inform me that the three of you were in danger?”

Shit. Raven didn’t deserve all the blame. That fell just as much on Ryker and me.

Raven stumbled back as if she’d been struck. “We didn’t know what we were getting into,” she said quietly. “I didn’t think we’d be attacked. AndI—”

“You didn’t think you might be attacked after discovering a witch was missing?” Kendric shook his head. “We deserved to know this information just as soon as the vampires did. All it would have taken was a quick text.”

She opened her mouth then closed it, her silence cutting deeper than words.

I sucked in a breath, ignoring the way my head ached. “Raven’s not the one to blame here. If you’re going to be mad at anyone, it should be me.”

Raising a hand, Kendric pivoted so he could see both Raven and me. “Ember, I know what you’re doing, and it’s not helping. Yes, you and Ryker should’ve linked with us. Don’t worry. Xander, Gage, Briar, and I are pissed at both of you as well, and when the two of you are better, itwillbe addressed. But Raven not including me in her communication is starkly different. She’s supposed to be my partner and equal, unlike Ryker, who’s my alpha. However, this event showed me the truth. Clearly, I amwaymore invested than she is, and it’s all one-sided.”

I flinched, the pounding in my head increasing. The room spun faster as the edge of my vision began to darken, and I slumped back onto the pillow.

“Dammit, Ember.” Briartsked, sounding just like our mother. “You’ve got to drink as much as you can now before you pass out.” She jabbed the straw between my lips, but the idea of drinking made me want to vomit.

My wolf leaped forward, survival instincts kicking in. I took a long sip, the taste of powdered protein and something overly sweet filling my mouth. I swallowed another huge swig, hoping it would settle my stomach.

A storm of emotions flickered within Raven’s eyes. “Kendric, you know if I could’ve told you, I would.”

“What does that even mean? Why couldn’t you? Aren’twe allies? Aren’t I your fucking boyfriend?” His voice broke, dripping with hurt. “I made sure to keep you informed of everything.”

I closed my eyes, hating that I couldn’t fix this.

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