Page 67 of November Reign
I scoffed. We both knew which of us was the liar. Really, we both were. All I’d done these last few months, the last year, even, was lie. One after another, they built up until I couldn’t tell what the truth was anymore.
Most of my lies were to myself. Denying the feelings I had for Thyme and what he truly meant to me. How all the people in that mansion had come to be my family. A chosen family. Bonded by hardships and love.
Finally, the truth was in front of me. I’d never loved Basil. He’d impressed me until I’d seen how hollow his strive for more power was. He was vapid. Fake. Nothing to me.
My heart lay with the man who’d shown me kindness and empathy. Taught me to open up, to trust, because whenever he said something, I knew it was the truth.
Thyme was a hundred times better than me, but I’d strive every day to make myself worthy of being beside him.
“Is he bound?” Basil asked, all the while Damon spilled expletives at him, distracting him from movement from above. The demons were in place. Basil muttered a spell to mute him.
“Fuck you!” I glared at him, standing strong even as I shivered with the cold. “Damn right he is. Only way I could get him here.” Even without his magic, he’d been a pain in the ass to restrain. He was right to make us fake it on the grass. Still, my body ached with the effort it had taken. I thumbed at the blood beading on my own cut lip.
“Do you have the grimoire?”
That earned him another glare. “Would I go through all this and not bring it?” There was no one on this planet that I hated more than Basil. I loathed him almost more than I’d once thought I’d loved him.
“Show me.”
I shrugged the backpack off my shoulder and opened it, giving Basil a glimpse of the cloth-bound book inside. From the distance between us, he was sure to feel the power of the book. It was practicallysentient after the hundreds of years of magic the coven witches had poured into it.
“More. Take it out. Open it up.”
“I’d have to touch it. I don’t have gloves.”
Basil sneered. “Afraid it’ll choose you?” I didn’t respond. “There’s no way you’re powerful enough to take hold of the coven. You’ve always been weak!” he spat, showing his true, hateful colors.
“Only when it comes to you. It ends today. Take the book. Take him and leave!” I yelled. The backpack, book and all, fell to the ground at my feet.
He laughed as he used his magic to further subdue his prisoner, stopping his inching away. He cupped his throat and dragged him closer.
“What do you think, little brother?” He mocked the man he held. “Do you believe I went to all this trouble to just leave?” He snickered, glancing my way. “The Northarbor coven is my birthright. No one, not you, not anyone, can steal this from me.”
Even at this distance, his rage was blistering. He turned it upon me, drawing closer. His captive shrank into himself for protection. I knew it was an act. Damon was just waiting for a moment to strike. He had to get the cuffs off first.
Basil’s lips moved as his magic stormed around us, whipping up the snow and ice on the ground, making them weapons.
In response, my magic flared. I muttered the words to create heat and light to use against him, careful not to hurt the man on the ground any more than I already had.
“Did you really believe this would be it? I’d just walk away after everything I’ve been through?” His voice was thunderous as he closed the gap I tried to create, still dragging the man at his feet.
“No,” I whispered, my voice stolen by the wind. “I always knew you were a liar. Just like me.”
“Go!” Damon yelled as he sprang free, cuffs on the ground. He aimed his gun and fired at Basil.
At the last second Basil moved out of the way, actions instinctive.
All around us, sounds of battle flared to life. Demons against shifters and witches. My friends, my new family, against far too many.
Charms flared as protection spells activated. They wouldn’t hold for long.
Instead of fighting in close quarters, the demons grabbed witches and portalled them to their realm where others were waiting to subdue the shocked witches.
Cody fought back to back with Toth while Parker and Mori tried to get to Damon. Gregoris came to cover me.
Spells flew overhead. I ducked even as my shield formed. I grabbed up the bag, tucking the grimoire away.
“Oak!” Thyme yelled, he was with Jorgoth and Barr, both fighting hand to hand with injured witches. I turned just in time to see a hawk aimed for my face. I shot a stunning spell at it, making it crash to the ground. For good measure, I kicked it. One down, too many to go.
