Page 29 of Witch Untold
“Why is he laughing?” Radu asks his brother.
Mircea studies me intensely. “You cut your connection.”
I smirk at him. My best fuck-you smirk. It feels good.
“He can’t do that,” Radu sneers. “If he does that, he’s as good as mist. She’s his anchor.”
They’ve done their research.
Mircea’s eyes narrow. “He’s muted it, then. Flipped a switch somehow.” He approaches, leaning his head to one side as he rakes me over. “I wager you had no idea that was possible.”
He’s right, but I’m not about to confirm that.
“Switch it back on,” he bites out.
My chest aches; the need to open the channel between Cora and me is a physical tug inside me. But I won’t put her in danger. I won’t allow them to use me to get to her.
“Switch it on,” Mircea says again.
“No.”
He blur-moves to Elijah and yanks back the warlock’s head to expose his throat. “I’ll tear out his jugular.”
I level a flat look his way. “I don’t care.”
And in this moment, I don’t. All that matters is keeping Cora safe. Keeping her away from these bastards.
Mircea’s grip on Elijah’s hair tightens and the warlock groans, surfacing from unconsciousness. I brace myself for his death, but the vamp releases him and stalks toward the door, hands on hips.
“Mircea, what do we do now?” Radu asks. “This was supposed to work. We’re running out of time. We need to revive Vlad and be at full strength, before—”
“I know!” Mircea snaps.
They’re agitated. They’re…afraid?
Yes. I can smell it. “What is it? What are you afraid of?”
Mircea’s jaw tenses. He places a hand on his brother’s shoulder, and they turn to smoke. Long seconds pass and finally they’re gone.
The force holding me to the wall snaps, and I stagger forward, knees weak from the effects of their magic. I hit the ground and brace myself on my palms. So this is what it feels like to be vulnerable. Mortal.
I’ll pass.
“I didn’t think there’d be a creature who could best you,” Elijah says softly.
“They haven’t bested me. They didn’t get what they wanted. I muted the connection.”
Conah groans and rubs his head. “And what the heck do you think Cora’s going to do when she feels your absence?”
“She’ll think I’m dead.”
“And what the fuck do you think she’ll do about it.”
What is he getting at?
Conah stares at me, incredulous. “You really don’t know, do you? She’s in love with you, Jasper. She’s not going to just sit back and accept this.”
“What?” Elijah looks surprised.
