Page 72 of Spellbound
I gulped and hid behind Raiden’s tall form. I wasn’t usually so afraid, but I was literally standing with two, about to be three, gods and one was responsible for the ground trembling throughout our province.
The portal opened into a mist of red and blazing orange. My heart skipped a beat as I peered around Raiden. Aziel stepped out and as he did, my hand tingled a magic quill.
Elle, get back here. A woman has us. She says you have something she wants and she’s going to kill us if she doesn’t get it back. Please. Naomi.
My eyes widened. The message dissolved and another tingled.
You need to get back here. Some crazed bitch has Naomi, Dora, and Edmund and she’s going to kill them. She kept asking for you and for someone called Raiden. I escaped. I’m hiding in the vaults.
I tapped Raiden’s arm. “We need to go back.” Tears swam in my eyes. “Now.” Shock erased my awareness. It was only when he spoke that I brought my attention to Aziel. He bore a striking resemblance to his brother, but his dark hair was longer, tied back into sections with bands, and his eyes were green. Tattoos covered his muscular arms, which were bare from the thick black armor he wore over his chest and shoulders. He looked as if he belonged on a battlefield and had a large scar running across an eyebrow and over one eye. I wondered how he’d got such marks when they could heal so quickly.
“Where is she?” Aziel boomed. “Where the fuck is that whore of yours?”
Raiden placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders. “It’s been a century, brother. She’s not mine anymore.”
“I’m going to tear her flesh from her bones.”
Thalia stepped in front of Aziel, moving Raiden out of the way. Her presence seemed to calm him. His balled fists uncurled, and his muscles relaxed. She spoke, her voice melodic. “Calm, brother.” She gazed into his eyes, and he stared back, transfixed. The entire thing made me uncomfortable.
“Don’t compel him,” Raiden chastised, pushing his hands into his pockets. “You swore you wouldn’t use it on us anymore.”
She clicked her tongue. “I’m just trying to calm him down.” She looked away. “Fine, let him tear down the mountain.” She pulled out a glowing dagger. “Unless you want me to use this on you again?” She teased.
Aziel growled. “What the fuck, Thalia?”
Ah. That was how he’d got the marks. I assumed, from the way it looked and glowed, it was enchanted or could hurt immortals. She sheathed it and smiled at Aziel. “Don’t be so mad. Raiden got us out. We’re back together again.”
“I don’t give a fuck.”
She placed her hand on her hip. “I see your time locked away has worsened your temper.”
Aziel’s chiseled jaw clenched. “It will serve us well when I tear Freya apart. Where is she?”
Raiden answered. “We will find her. She’s been using an old cloaking spell, one our dear sister here can break.” He paused and smiled widely. “I’ve missed you, brother.”
Aziel’s frown slowly curled into a grin, and all the ferocity and anger that made him terrifying melted away. “Don’t tell me being locked away turned you soft, Raiden.”
“Don’t test me, brother. I can still beat you in a fight.” He laughed, and Aziel joined in. Thalia rolled her eyes as if she’d seen this a thousand times.
Aziel slammed his hand on Raiden’s shoulder, smirking. “Never mind, it’s not turned you soft. It’s clearly made you delusional.”
My heart hammered. I cleared my throat, and all three of them turned to look at me. “Not to break up this family reunion or anything, but my coven’s in danger.” I looked at Raiden. “Freya has Naomi, Edmund, and Dora and is going to kill them. She must know I took the keys.”
“How?”
I glanced at my hand. “Magic quill from Naomi and Maddox.” My eyes clamped shut. We were in the mountains and were one short run with Raiden from my sister, but I had to turn back. “We need to save them.”
Aziel’s eyebrows pinched into a frown. “Who’s the mortal?”
Thalia smiled. “Eleanor.”
Raiden stepped in front of me. “She helped get you out of here. We can trust her.”
Aziel gritted his teeth. “Fine.” He paused. “Let us go. If Freya is where you say she is, then that’s where I’m needed.”
