Page 104 of Dead Wrong

Lorelei laughed—a sharp and disconcerting noise.

“You’re as dense as ever, aren’t you? Haven’t you put it together yet?”

“You’ll have to elaborate, dear. If you don’t remember, my brain got scrambled when I died that one time.”

“Patience, Tobias. You don’t have long to wait. Then we’ll see just what that second life is worth to you.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. I was in the midst of crafting another quippy response when the door opened on the far end of the room, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

“Lenny!” I shouted, pulling against my restraints in an attempt to jump for joy. It ended up more of a flail for joy, but I’d take it.

Lynette walked into the room unaccompanied, her sights set on me as she moved. Her coppery hair was pulled back off her face, her body covered in a long brown trench coat tied at the waist.

I was saved! Lynette would make quick work of these two and we would be able to come up with a plan for when Mother decided to show up.

As Lynette got closer, her trajectory changed slightly, and she stopped at the end of the table, standing beside Lorelei, who looked up from her notebook with a smile.

“Right on time,” Lorelei said, setting the notebook down as Lynette wrapped her arms around the blonde woman and then leaned in for a kiss.

My blood ran cold. I blinked a few times, willing the sight away, but they were still embracing each time I opened my eyes.

What the hell was happening?

“Did you have any trouble out of him?” Lynette asked, pulling away from Lorelei.

“Eh, I had to shoot one of his pets to get him to show me. But other than that, it was smooth sailing.”

And just like that, the frozen river of my veins turned to boiling lava. I pulled against my restraints with renewed strength. “Come closer and say that again, you bitch!”

“Now, now,” Lynette chastised the two of us. “Let’s keep this civil.”

“What the hell, Lenny?” I demanded. “What’s the meaning of this?”

She walked over to my chair, running a cool finger across my cheek. “It’s going to be okay, Tobi. I promise.”

I pulled away from her touch, glowering at her. “What have you done? Why are you working with her? She’s mother’s stooge.”

Lorelei laughed again, another sharp jab to my eardrums.

My sister doesn’t answer, her attention too wrapped up in something. She grabbed one of my hands, turning it over—with some difficulty, thanks to Grigori’s knot-tying skills—to reveal Bastien’s green stone. “This was the one?” she asked, turning back to Lorelei.

The blonde woman nodded in response. “He put it right over the wound. It closed up without an incantation.”

“Really?” Lynette questioned, her eyes wide. “Tobi, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“Untie me right now, Lenny. We can talk this out. Whatever is going on, it’s not too late?—”

“Too late for what, hm? I’m simply doing what I told you I was going to do, Tobias. Unlike some people in this world, I keep my promises.” She lifted my other hand, inspecting Cirian’s stone, then turned back to Lorelei. “Has he shown any other signs?”

“None so far,” Lorelei replied, jotting something down in her little book. “He didn’t put up much of a fight, to be honest. Are you sure you’re related to him?”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here,” I spat, straining once again. “I’m your brother. How could you treat me like this?”

Lynette looked down at me, her expression colder than I’ve ever seen. “My brother? Oh no, Tobias. You lost that privilege the moment you decided to try and murder me.”

“What are you talking about?” I demanded.

Magic, heavy as a boulder, bared down on me. Lynette leaned in close, her eyes burning with golden magic as she whispered, “Remember.”

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