Page 14 of Shackled to the World
Annora wasn’t surprised to note they were more upset over the destruction of the book than the loss of life.
“The book will be safer with us.” Suesette rose as well, her tone superior and more commanding than her older sister’s. “We have centuries of experience dealing with dangerous magic. Proof of what happened with Director Erickson is just an example. Only we can keep it safe.”
“And the instant you try to use the book, my family will come and tear through you to get to it. You’re not able to access the spells, not without them shredding you from the inside out.” Annora refused to give up the book without a fight. They could pry it from her cold, dead hands.
“Prove it.” Suesette pushed up her glasses, her chin lifting with challenge. “Prove you’re the rightful heir, and we won’t object.”
Smugness oozed from her.
The witches believed she was lying—that she would fail.
Greenwood gave her a warning look, while Edgar subtly shook his head. Even the ferret peeked its head out of the bag, patting her shoulder to remind her she couldn’t cross over into the afterworld.
Annora stifled her frustrated growl and tried one more time to reason with them. “Using the spells would be inviting death. Every time you wield the book, it steals more of your life. It’s addictive and twists you into something inhuman.”
“Prove. It,” Suesette said again, and crossed her arms, her tone imperial. A splash of magic saturated the air, trying to force Annora to obey. “Or hand over the book.”
There was no choice.
Xander wedged himself between her and the witches, his broad shoulders blocking the rest of the room, ending the standoff. His teal eyes were stormy when he locked them on her. “You don’t have to do this. They can’t force you to do anything.”
Despite his gruffness, she wasn’t reassured.
“Actually, we can.” The younger witch lifted her chin in the air. “We can bring you to the council and put it to a vote to have you suspended from the university until you comply.”
When the guys didn’t protest, Annora knew the witch spoke the truth.
The darkness inside her stilled like a predator ready to pounce, just waiting for her signal.
They wanted to take her men from her, take away everything that mattered to her, and her rage slipped the mental leash she’d been using to try and hold it back. “You want proof? Just remember you asked for it.”
Edgar reached out just as she released her hold on the darkness crouched at her core. It exploded out of her and slammed into him with enough force that he grunted under the impact. His eyes flashed pure black as he tried to absorb everything, but it was too much.
Dark particles escaped his control and swirled around the room like dust. It absorbed all light, leaving a dim blue hue behind, the air murky like they were submerged in water.
The temperature dropped drastically, but the cold never touched her, the darkness cocooning her in warmth and comfort. Everything was calmer, and the aches from the morning workout vanished. Bruises shrank, the flames licking at her eyeballs turned cool, the headache threatening evaporated.
While the afterworld usually soothed her, this time, instead of blunting her rage, it fed it.
Her ragged nerves grew claws.
She felt better, stronger in this world…more powerful.
Strong enough to eliminate any threat to her or her men.
The walls began to crumble, the ceiling sagged dangerously, plaster and mice-infested insulation raining down. Black mold swept across the floor, and the witches retreated hastily. The desk tipped and crashed to the floor, tossing the director’s papers into the air. As soon as they hit the ground, the sheets disintegrated and scattered like ash. The chairs melted down into a pile of sludge.
Black butterflies uncurled around them, their wings flapping slowly as they scented their prey.
“You want the book?” Annora glared at them, her smile turning vicious. “Fine. All you have to do is walk out the door of this office and survive.”
Chapter Five
The witches automatically glanced at the door, Hopper and Suesette taking a step back when it resembled a doorway straight to hell. The wood was rotted, black mold nearly an inch thick caked the surface, while maggots appeared to be swimming under the surface, a few of them worming out to plop on the floor. They wiggled madly, inching their way toward Hopper.
She turned an alarming shade of green, swallowed hard, but stood her ground.
No one made a move toward the door.
