Page 64 of Wicked Chains
“Are you sure the girl isn’t clouding your judgement, Ash?”
“On the contrary. Rose and I have an understanding.”
The memory of kneeling before him in the snow is so fresh it makes my cheeks burn. I say nothing, just clutch Hank closer.
With one last venomous look in my direction, Helena turns and walks away, her heels clicking sharply on the floor.
When she's gone, I release the breath I've been holding. "Why did you stop her?"
Ash regards me with that unnerving, intense stare. "I told you. Your magic belongs to me. That includes anything connected to it."
"So you didn't actually care if she killed Hank," I say bitterly. "You just didn't want it to affect your access to my power."
"Would you prefer I had let her crush him?" Ash asks, one eyebrow raised. "I can call her back."
"No!" I take a step back, shielding Hank with my body. "No."
Ash smiles, satisfied with my response. "Then perhaps a 'thank you' is in order?"
The words stick in my throat. Thanking Ash for anything feels wrong, like I'm betraying myself. But he did save Hank, even if it was for his own selfish reasons.
"Thank you," I manage finally, the words tasting like dirt in my mouth.
He inclines his head in acknowledgment. "You should be more careful, Rose. Helena doesn't share my appreciation for your spirit."
"Is that what you call it?" I don’t look at him; I’m too busy checking Hank for injuries. He seems shaken but unharmed.
"She would have killed him without a second thought," Ash continues. "And enjoyed watching you suffer for it."
A chilling realization settles over me. As terrifying as Ash is, as much as he's hurt and humiliated me, there's a purpose to his cruelty, an emotion. Helena's feels more sadistic. More impersonal. Like that’s just who she is.”
He walks past me, his shoulder brushing mine as he goes. I stand there for a long moment, stroking Hank's back with a trembling finger.
Two things are clear: Helena Wickersly is even more dangerous than I realized, and my position here is more precarious than ever. I need to find a way out, and soon.
Twenty-Nine
Rose
I’m still shaking as I climb the stairs to the fourth floor. Hank seems fine; he doesn’t seem to care that he was almost a goner, or if he does, he’s really good at hiding it. I thought about poofing him away, but I think he wants to stay close to me after what happened. Or almost happened. I don’t even want to think about what Helena would have done, if Ash hadn’t stepped in. I don’t want to feel anything but hate towards that man, I’m having trouble wrapping my head around him actually doing something decent. Self-serving, sure, but it still saved Hank’s life.
When I get to the floor, I head for the windowsill and perch there, wiping the dusty window with my hand so I can see out. The snow hasn’t melted yet, but it’s trampled down by all the foot traffic from the students going back and forth.
It is insane to me that everyone seems oblivious to the fact that their headmistress is a psychopath who would kill a harmless frog to make a point. I gently lift Hank up in front of my face.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I didn't mean to put you in danger."
Hank blinks. He looks okay physically, and I hope he’s not traumatized. Hell, I'm traumatized.
"We need to do something about Helena," I tell him. "She's not going to stop. Not until she's broken me completely."
Or killed me. For all Ash's possessiveness and cruelty, at least he wants me alive. Helena, I'm not so sure about. There's something in her eyes that's colder and emptier than a black hole. Like she'd snap my neck and not feel a thing.
Fighting Helena head-on would be suicide. I need leverage, an advantage, something she doesn't see coming.
Could this third sister be useful? An enemy of Helena's would come in pretty handy right now.
The temperature drops a few degrees, and I don't need to look up to know Drake is here.
