Page 87 of Bishop's Flight
She needed to call her fire, set off an explosion, and get Lucas off the boat.
How?
Her blood began to boil, and her fire whispered to her in the back of her mind.
Let me go.
Let me burn.
You know I won’t hurt you.
Her amnis caressed her mind, rising to the surface and stroking the deep part of her gut where the hunger lived.
The hunger was her constant friend. Her own familiar monster.
“Fuck the Ankers.” Brigid curled her lip. “And fuck you too.”
Zasha sat up straight. “Well, well. Now you’re becoming interesting again.”
Brigid moved closer, and inside her, the fire sat at the ready. “Fuck the Ankers andfuck you too. I thought you were powerful, Zasha, but you’re nothing but a rich man’s servant again.”
They narrowed their black eyes. “I am no man’s servant.”
“But they bought you all the same.” The amnis licked at her skin, and she felt the fire in her palms. It sat just below the surface, ready to snap. “The Ankersboughtyou. What was your price this time? They couldn’t buy you with immortality. What did they give you?”
“It’s what theywillgive me,” Zasha said. “When the time is right.”
“You think they’ll keep their promises?”
“I will make them.”
“They’ll put a knife in yer spine the first chance they get. You think they have plans to let you survive after the takeover?”
Zasha smiled. “You’re deluding yourself that they could kill me.”
“Maybe not them, but Oleg could.”
Zasha blinked, and it was everything Brigid was hoping for.
“Think about it.” She stepped closer. “I know you think I’m a stupid, stumbling girl, but think about what they’ll gain by picking you off for a more powerful friend.”
Zasha narrowed their eyes. “Oleg and I share blood.”
“So? Oleg is already making moves,” Brigid whispered. “You think your kin will care if the Ankers get rid of ya? He’ll bethankin’them. You’re a nuisance in his eyes. How do you think I figured out you were on a houseboat? Mika is the one who told me. Oleg’s people are already counting you out.”
Zasha stood and forced Brigid to look up. They were much taller. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What?”
“You’re trying to start a fight, but I have other plans for you, Brigid Connor, and I’m going to use the mate you love to bring me what I want.” They leaned down and ran a finger down Brigid’s fevered skin.
“Carwyn has no part in this.” She felt the fire leaping to get out. It bit against her skin and made her heart race.
Zasha had to hear it. There was no chance that Brigid was hiding her anger.
“He’ll justify it in the end.” Zasha smiled. “He’ll bring me what I want because he won’t be able to stand to see you hurt. It will kill part of his pure conscience, but that’s not my problem, Brigid Connor. It will be up to him.”
It was all it took. The thought of Carwyn sacrificing any part of his bone-deep honor to give Zasha what they wanted in exchange for Brigid’s safety was enough to make the fire burst out of her skin in an explosion of rage.
