Page 84 of Shadow & Stars
“I want you to watch as I take his life.” Her face, once one of a dear friend, warped with hate. “See hope die. There will be no future for you, Xavier. The lake is open. I won.” She squeezed Roman harder. “Fuck you and your betrayal of Ismael, of our friendship.”
I didn’t have the strength to retaliate. I went down on one knee, the Lemon Drop overwhelming me.
It gave her cause to laugh. “Pathetic how lemons undo you. The great Xavier cannot stand against some fruit.”
More than just fruit, a concoction to render me useless.
“Watch him die,” she said, menace dripping from her lips.
The ground shook violently beneath me, dipping inward, splitting around the edges of the sinking tarmac at a terrifying rate.
“What is this?” Tanith demanded, also caught in the sink.
Roman sucked in air, her grip loosening.
The ground sunk further, golden steam bursting from its center. Tanith wailed, cursing my name. I tried getting to my feet, but the Lemon Drop sent me onto my backside.
A second tremor rocked the tarmac, the ground sinking further. More of the golden steam spewed into the air, engulfing me.
“Xavier!” Tanith cried.
The third quake broke the ground, plunging us into blazing, golden light.
25
ROMAN
We arrived at an abandoned house about a mile or so away from Grandma’s house. The streets were quiet, not a soul in sight. Most of the other houses were abandoned, too.
“What is this place?” I asked as Grandma parked up.
“I used to come here to practice my spells as a child,” Darcy answered. “My parents were fully human and didn’t like me showing off in the house.”
“Showing off?” Grandma said.
He opened his door. “Our relationship was strained. They didn’t know how to be parents to a witch. They struggled. It hurt. It still hurts. I haven’t spoken to them since I became a rat.”
We might be besties, but I didn’t know a thing about Darcy’s past.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
Without another word, he got out of the car, closing the door. He opened the front passenger door, helping the agent from the front seat.
My poor bestie got himself tangled up in too many of my problems. I owed him hours and hours of talking time. And he’d get it in spades at the first opportunity.
For sure.
The agent’s name was Liza. Grandma wanted to take her to hospital but she insisted on coming with us. Darcy helped her off the street after a demon stomped on her hand—right before she banished it. My grandma wasn’t happy about it but conceded for the time being. Which meant she wouldn’t be quiet about it for long.
God, how I’ve missed you.
I caught Grandma looking at me in the rearview mirror. She smiled, then exited the car.
Darcy led Liza around the back of the house down a dark alley. Grandma and I followed side by side.
“Can you smell lemons?” she asked.
I sniffed the air, getting nothing. “N-No.”
