Page 80 of Wicked Witch of the Wolf

Oh no.

“He’s going to kill us, isn’t he?” I said to Fennel, who replied with a shrug and another swish.

Margaux replied, “Desmond? It certainly appears he’s going to try.”

I didn’t bother correcting her. It was an understandable mistake. So many people were trying to kill us right now.

“Levántate,” I said.

Nothing happened. The magic that had been thrumming beneath my skin had gone silent.

“Shitty, shitty timing, magic.” I tried to pick up Bronwyn, but her body was stiff and unyielding and though she wasn’t big by any stretch, dead weight was dead weight.

Margaux had finally managed to rise to her elbows. “What’s wrong?”

“The same thing as always—my magic.” I began to chant.

“Stop that,” Margaux said, in that imperious, commanding tone that hit me like nails on a chalkboard.

“Don’t interrupt. We have to get her out of?—”

“You are an earth elemental,” she yelled. “Your birth was a miracle of magic, and your power is unstoppable. Why are you reverting to taught magic again? That’s a coward’s way out. Fight for your power.”

“I don’t have time to fight all the things I need to and fight the soil, too. There’s no time.”

“Don’t fight against the soil, fight with it. Why didn’t you take down Desmond before coming in here?”

“You didn’t see him. His eyes went all black, and he did this Taylor Swift stage elevator thing.” I waved my hands around to illustrate what I meant. “He freakingrose from the soillike a, like a…”

“Like anearthelemental?” She shot me a look of disgust. “And what did you do? Run?”

“Yeah.” I scowled. “Into the house. You know, to save your ass.”

“Doing a fine job of it,” she muttered.

There was no time, and she kept throwing attitude at me, and I was too distracted to help Bronwyn, and Carolina had gone disturbingly quiet, and Cecil was probably slapping TNT spells on every wall in the house, and Desmond had to be incoming, and I’d had all I could take from this damned woman.

“Godsdamn it, I’m trying to save our lives!”

“Your mother was an earth witch so powerful other witches begged her to mentor them, including that fool outside. Your abuela was the same. Both Lila and Lulu poured everything they knew into you, andthisis what you’re doing with it?”

“To hell with you, Margaux. I don’t need a fucking Ted Talk right now.”

“Goddess, Betty, you rantothe housefromthe soil—your element. You ranfromthe thing that makes you strong.”

“Only after he kicked Gordon Lu’s head off.Off. Margaux, you didn’t see it.”

“Gordon, Carolina, and Aldrich made their choices,” she said, but the look in her eyes told me the news had cut deep. “You need to make yours.”

“I am. I’m trying to chant, and you keep interrupting me.”

“Are you really this stupid?”

I wanted her to shut her stupid mouth. I wanted to lash out at her with words and fists and magic. My fingers itched to wrap around her throat and choke her silent.

Because she was right.

“Is Desmond the only earth witch here?” she asked, her voice softer now. “No. He’s not. He’s lazy and craven, Betty. Two things you’ve never been.”

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