Page 183 of Wrath of the Fae

I understand the rest. I don’t need Lucca’s explanation of what he hears through Rhea’s mind because I get it.

‘That last crack in the sky,’ I say. ‘Ivan didn’t get the power from me, did he? That’s why you look so ill. That’s why you’re so tired. He took it fromyou.’ I look at her belly. ‘Just before the tear appeared, when his machine felt my shield, it tried to latch onto me but couldn’t. So it latched onto your baby.’ My eyes flick up to hers. ‘I wasn’t screaming because you were. My power wasn’t stolen. Yours was.’

‘I lost it,’ she weeps. ‘He took the power and…’ she rests her hands on her stomach. ‘I lost one.’

I feel sick at the thought of Ivan doing this to her. And sick to my soul at what she’s done!

‘One?’ Cyrus repeats. ‘What do you mean by one?’

‘Twins…’ I breathe, staggering back.

She can only offer a hyperventilating stream of sobs as she watches me with unblinking eyes. She tries to say sorry over and over through her wheezing.

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

The more I look at her and her pathetic tears endlessly streaming down her traitorous little face, the more I hate her.

I hate her. HATE HER!

My hand reaches out, and she starts to choke. Her fingers claw at her throat as I squeeze the life from her.

Reid is in front of me, trying to lower my hand as he tells me to stop, calm down, and fight against my rage. He keeps looking at the darkness spreading on my skin. He takes my face roughly in his hands and shakes me, putting his face in mine so he is all I see.

‘Don’t lose yourself. You don’t want to kill your sister! You need my blood. Take it!’ he warns, still trying to block my line of vision to Rhea. ‘Raven, for fuck sake, take it!’

‘TELL HIM WHAT YOU DID!’ I shout past him. My voice is not my own. But my hatred is. My anger and intense betrayal. ‘TELL HIM!’

If I have to listen to her whimpers for another second, I’ll tear her throat out.

My wings are out, and I go to attack.

I go to kill.

Reid shoves me with all his strength, pinning me to the wall as I thrash against him. It takes all he has to keep me from reaching her. Even as he slams me against the wall and breaks the marble at my back, I try to get free of him.

El has gone to Rhea’s side and is trying to get her to leave, but she’s determined to stay. To fix this and make it right.

Like she ever could.

In the distance, screeching and howls travel through the land. Dark creatures are reacting to my anger. One word from me and they would all come. They would rip her to fucking pieces.

I scream and try to get Reid off me. His wings emerge, and he slams me back into the wall.

‘EVERYONE OUT!’ he orders, looking back at them all, watching me in horror and fear. ‘I can’t fucking hold her much longer! GET OUT!’

‘Raven. Please,’ Rhea tries.

Reid’s eyes glow like the sun as he growls. ‘Get the fuck away from us, Rhea. Because if killing you is the only way to calm her down, I won’t fucking hesitate.’

‘I need to explain!’ she sobs.

When Cyrus turns to help Reid keep me contained, Reid yells at him.

‘You too. Get out! GET OUT!’

When Reid shouts, a wave of bright light explodes from his body, hurling them all towards the door.

Wolf, Lucca and Tessa waste no time and drag Rhea and Cyrus into the hall.

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