Page 139 of Whispers of Wisteria
“I’m so scared,” I responded.
“Silence!”
I had better things to do; this edition of Takenwas already disappointing. “Can we move on?”
“I said silence!” Albert stopped in front of me. “I’m in charge now. If you become hostile, my co-conspirator and I will be forced to take extreme measures.”
And who was that? Last I’d heard, the Guild didn’t have very many onmyoji working for them. Maybe this would be productive after all.
“What about the information you promised?” I asked.
As expected, Albert shrugged flippantly. “A ruse,” he said, brushing his shoulder. “Meant to befuddle someone with your reptilian brain.”
For some reason, that seemed to offend Maria. She rolled onto her stomach and placed her chin over her hands as she watched him.
“You know he’s crazy smart right?” she asked, lifting her eyebrow. “He collects doctorates for fun.”
I rolled my eyes. Like I needed her to defend me.
I didn’t care about any of that.
“Anyway,” I interrupted before Albert could speak. “What other onmyoji are you working with?”
It was worth a shot, but I didn’t expect him to answer.
Hopefully Bianca was having more success on her mission than I was. Someone ought to have a good time tonight.
“The most fearsome of our kind,” Albert said ominously. “And He has decided I am a worthy peer. That should tell you everything you need to know.”
But that didn’t tell me anything.
“Fine,” I sighed. “Are we moving on or what?” At least, if he kidnapped us, we’d finally discover where the Guild was hidden, or something else useful.
Hopefully.
Albert visibly deflated, probably because I wasn’t crying or struggling. But he got over it quickly enough.
“Yes.” He held up his wrist and pressed a black button. His smirk was almost unnerving. I felt a flicker of alarm for the first time.
Albert wasn’t the threat.
My shoulders stiffened, and I was about to shrug out of the net when the burn shot through me.
This…
It wasn’t regular magic—it was deeper, older, than anything I expected to encounter here on earth outside of Damen.
Hellfire.
I grit my teeth as my limbs locked, and his grin widened.
“Sleep, dragon,” he said as my vision began to sway. I was vaguely aware of falling to the ground. “All will be revealed when you wake.”
My sight faded, and I knew. This time the game had been a mistake.
21
Bianca POV
