Page 80 of Savage Sacrifice
“Your wolf?” I breathe, and his lips set in a thin line as he shakes his head.
Dammit.
“But you have your mark?” I clarify, making sure I haven’t missed anything.
“Yes,” he answers, rolling his sleeve up to reveal it on his forearm.
There’s a lot to unpackage there, I can see it in his eyes, but it’s out of his control, just like my desire to still be a witch. We can come back to this, but first, there’s another big question to consider.
“What do we do about The Crow?”
Asher shakes his head in reference to his uncle. “He’ll be licking his wounds somewhere, but I’m sure he’ll be back,” he admits. “Worse than ever,” he adds for good measure, and I gulp.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” I breathe. I haven’t known of this man, this monster, for long, but what I know is enough, and he’s not going to rest, especially not after Tatum killed one of his men yesterday.
“What did he say last night?” Asher asks, scrubbing at his chin, and I shrug.
“Honestly, very little. He was assessing me, baiting me almost, then Blaze was heading toward us and everything unravelled from there.”
“Baiting you?” Wylder asks, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“Yeah, just… teasing the fact that he knew I wasn’t dead, knew where I was, and that he still had power over me.”
“Fucker,” Tatum grunts, nostrils flaring in anger, and I place my hand on top of his on my thigh, squeezing in comfort.
“The final two coins?” Blaze asks, finally inserting himself in the conversation.
“We’ll figure it out,” Wylder states, aware that if what we believe is true, the final two coins fall down to him and Asher.
“What happens when they all change color?” I ask, receiving nothing but blank looks in response.
“I guess that’s what we’re going to figure out, Amica Mea,” Blaze states, jaw tight at his lack of control over the matter.
Rubbing my lips together nervously, I take note of the fact that we’re missing someone. “Is Bryony around?”
Asher cocks a brow at me. “How come?”
I frown, confused why it matters, but I clear my throat and answer. “I was hoping to see if there was any magic left in me or not.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, embarrassment creeps in.
Thankfully, Minnie offers me a soft smile, easing the worry rising inside of me. “She left already.”
My eyes widen in surprise. I thought she would have stayed, but she seemed distraught last night. That hasn’t driven her to put a wedge between us all, has it? Before I can vocalize my thoughts, Tatum rubs at the back of his neck.
“Speaking of her, something is off,” he murmurs, and I blink at him.
“Off?” I repeat, and to my surprise, a round of nods comes from everyone else in the room, Minnie included.
“I can’t place it. I’m sure she’s stressed about all things coven-wise, but… I feel it too,” she admits, and I gape in disbelief.
“In what way? I don’t understand,” I press, but I don’t doubt there’s something, not if it’s come to Tatum’s attention, and Minnie’s too.
“It was weird when Professor Whitmore wouldn’t let us leave the academy, forcing us to wait until morning to come searchingfor you. We waited by the portal, and when Bryony showed up, she said she had spoken to Whitmore and he gave her the code to let us out,” Blaze states, nostrils flaring with irritation.
I rear back in surprise. That is odd, but not odd enough to cause suspicion. I don’t think?
“She was also cowering away last night. The fear in her eyes, there was more to it,” Tatum adds, and I shake my head.
“I mean, The Crow carries a presence like no one else. I’d be scared too,” I acknowledge, and he tilts his head at me.
