Page 18 of Maiming
“And what about you three?” Brylee turns her violent words to the men behind me. “Doesn’t it bother you, knowing you’ll always be second, and third, and fourth best to ademon?” The word demon is an ugly sound against her nasty tongue.
She can insult me all she wants but how dare she turn all of this on Sinister, who hasn’t done a single fucking thing to anyone.
My fingers sink into my palm. Magic rips through me, demanding an outlet. I close my eyes to the feel of it. I try to ignore the stinging feel of the energy tearing through me.
And then a sharp screech snaps my eyes open so fast all I see is her pretty dress wafting in the wind as her petite body slams hard against the dirt.
I blink. I blink again.
Did I do that?
The gate quietly opens and Agatha walks blindly past the girl lying on the ground. The old mage’s stride is a bumpy and trudging pace but she settles with ease into the first chair at the table is if she’s sat there a thousand times.
“You know spirits don’t like negative energies, Girl. The Spirit of Ocknala is always watching.” She doesn’t look at any of us even as I beam at her with the biggest smile. Maybe Aggie is my guardian angel. A fairy goddess mother sent to help me.
From the three sexy shifters she brought me, to the girl now sitting on her ass in the dirt, I’d have to say she might really be.
“Low, darling, can you bring me a cold glass of gin, dear? Warding off spirits really takes it out of you.” Her gray brows furrow and she really does look tired. All her wild dancing and flirting with older men has worked up a sweat.
“It’d be my…”Fucking. “…pleasure.” The smile on my face is wide and when I turn, Sinister’s smirk matches mine.
I don’t look at Brylee as she dusts herself off. I don’t turn back at all as I walk inside the house.
Sinister’s shoulder brushes against mine as he leans closer once we’re out of sight.
“She’s almost as good of a lying mage as you were.”
I bump my shoulder back into his, making him stumble to the wall before coming right back to me.
“No one’s as good of a lying mage as I was.” Laughter tinges my tone and his hand brushes mine once more.
“Well, I’d hope not, love. You had five years practice.” His tone is a rumbling low sound as we enter the kitchen area.
Helen and Myla work side by side, laughing and gossiping and just enjoying the evening.
It’s so simple.
And yet, I’ve never seen it. I’ve never seen lifelong friendship like they have.
Except with Chaos and Kain and Rime.
This could be my life from now on.
“And what about now?” Sinister says on a quiet breath.
He’s always so good at reading me.
And I know he knows what I want before I even say it.
“Now I want to be different.”
I will be. I’m not a fuck up. Not anymore.
Seven
Among the Stars
The food is delicious.Too bad it lies sickly at the pit of my stomach. I sit with stiff posture at the very front of the table. Agatha sits across from me, enjoying the cool evening and the wine in her glass. Kain sits at my side, Chaos and Rime on his other side.
