Page 55 of Wings and Shadowthief

She was good at ignoring him. Well-practiced at it. It had been about a year since she’d first been foolish enough to open her mind up to a psychotic demigod who considered the entire world his playground. She’d closed the doorway, and when he knocked, she pretended not to hear it.

Tonight was different.

Something was wrong. Not here in Oldcrest on Night Hill. Tonight was the very best night she’d ever known since she’d enrolled in the Institute freshman year.

A baby. There was a baby in her arms. A pretty little girl with brown eyes and silver hair. She was going to be a looker. How could she not, with parents like hers?

And Blair was Ruby Eirikrson Devillier’s godmother.

She didn’t want to let the prick ruin today for her, but Blair, unlike the rest of her friends, knew where Seth and their missing friends were. Certainly not in Rome, as they’d told Chloe. In freaking Atlantis, attempting the murder of a queen.

Seth was almost begging her.

Begging and Seth didn’t belong in the same sentence.

What?

“I need you to listen to me carefully and do as I say without protest.”

She snorted. Right. That sounded like something she’d do.

“You’re either going to listen, or I will kill every single one of your friends.”

She froze.

Are you threatening me?

“I’m stating facts. Aveka’s put a spell on me. It hasn’t worked yet, but it will. I will be hers to command, and trust me when I say that I am capable of horrors you cannot imagine.”

For once, she did trust him entirely.

What can I do?

“Open up to me right now. Entirely. No shield, no barrier. Let me in.”

That was against every instinct of a witch. Letting him so deep inside meant that he’d be able to control her, bind her to him as he sat fit.

“Quite the contrary. I’m not after your soul. I need to give you mine for safekeeping.”

What he asked of her meant complete trust, because whatever he said, he could take her soul. He could harm it. Drive her to madness.

She also happened not to have a choice.

Some Wins, Some Loses

They were close. So, so close.

Hunter looked at his friends. Avani and Alexius had shifted—they’d both taken several wounds and were fighting most of the guards. Mikar, Cat, and Bash held their own against Aveka’s four disciples, and Tris had moved from guarding his back to protecting Gwen, now that the woman had left the house.

Of course, she’d come, blazing bright in all her glory. He felt foolish for hoping otherwise. Gwen wasn’t one to be left behind, to let others fight for her. Her hair, white as snow, flew around her as she called to her devastating magic. This was who she was. Hunter would attempt to remember it. If they survived today.

Victory hadn’t been guaranteed before, but they had had a chance. With Seth incapacitated—or worse, against them? They had to retreat now, before they suffered a loss.

“Let’s go!” he screamed, closing in on Gwen.

“Oh, I think not.” The queen chuckled, holding her bleeding sides. “Seth, darling. Take care of your little friends.”

Hunter placed himself where he was supposed to be, between Gwen and danger, holding her behind him as the rest of their friends approached.

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