Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 727(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Barnabas limped across the room, arms folded across his chest. Once more, he looked very calm, which scared Skyler more than anything.
“Obviously, you are not the only one in this room with me. You have help. I could command them to show themselves, but I have a feeling that spell would not work.”
Skyler smiled at him, making certain not to look taunting. She wanted to look as confident as he did. “You’re right. The spell would not work.”
“I am right. You are not alone.”
“Barnabas, I am nowhere near your level of expertise,” Skyler assured him. “You are an incredible mage, and quite frankly, I want nothing to do with you. In fact, your very name scares me. I hope that makes you feel better.”
“Yet the one aiding you conceals himself or herself as if they are a coward.”
She shook her head. “That’s beneath you. You assume they have an ego and will come flying out at such a taunt. There was only one reason for me to stand in front of you like this. You’re intelligent. You figure it out.”
“I do not like riddles.” Barnabas sounded impatient and annoyed.
“It isn’t a riddle. There is reason behind me standing in this room with you even though it is terrifying. You should know the reason if you’re anywhere near as brilliant as I think you are. But being brilliant can also make a person lazy. I’ve noticed really intelligent people often don’t want to put in any time figuring things out.”
Barnabas studied her face for what seemed an eternity. “I often teach classes. I like the discussions that take place, but sometimes I find myself bored. I feel as if some generations refuse to think for themselves. Then along comes a student that is different, one who really thinks. Your mind intrigues me. It would be very satisfying to have you in one of my classes for a semester.”
Skyler wasn’t certain how to take that. She decided she’d treat it as a compliment. She gave him a little half smile. “Thank you. I didn’t realize you still taught school. I knew you had in the past, but didn’t realize you kept up with it.”
“At university level. It keeps me from being bored. I can’t spend every waking moment being the mage from hell.”
Who knew he had a sense of humor?
He is up to something, Skyler. Never take Barnabas at face value. He isn’t a nice man, and he doesn’t make small talk idly, Razvan warned.
Rather than laugh at his joke, which she wanted to do, Skyler raised one eyebrow, trying to portray being skeptical. It was Dimitri who laughed. The moment he did, Barnabas struck at him. Skyler felt his triumph, his absolute glee as he closed his hands around Dimitri’s neck to strangle him. At the same time, he ordered the demons to attack.
“I may not be able to get to you,” Barnabas declared. “But I can get to your lifemate.”
Power surged through her. Dark mage power. Dark, dark earth power so old no one could put a name to it. Carpathian ancient power. The power of the Lycan. The Sange rau—the mixed blood. The air crackled and snapped with electricity. The hair on their bodies stood straight up and out. The walls of the house bowed out, unable to contain the force.
The windows exploded, the shattered glass bursting outward, stopping in midflight and then reversing. All the pieces slammed into Barnabas’s body and buried themselves deep. His face, his chest, his neck and his throat. He screamed, raising his hands in an effort to shield himself, but after the glass came pictures whirling like missiles, hitting him with single-minded force. The walls of the room disintegrated into spears, penetrating his body from all sides, driving the mage first one way and then the next.
“How dare you touch him,” Skyler snapped. “You’re beneath contempt.” She disappeared in a stream of vapor through one of the many shattered windows.
Barnabas had let go of his hold on Dimitri in order to save himself. Hastily extracting his body from the spears, he began to rid himself of the glass when he heard the low laughter. He spun around. The male in the room with him looked familiar and yet not. He was not in the mood for puzzles. Barnabas snapped his fingers, sending the newcomer out to the demons and sure death—only the man didn’t move.
“That daughter of mine has a very bad temper when it comes to anyone trying to harm her lifemate,” he said.
Barnabas glared at him and tossed several shards of glass his way. The glass stopped in midair and then dropped to the floor. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m surprised you don’t remember me. We are related. Cousins, I believe. When you were being groomed by the three high mages and Anatolie, I was always in the room with you. Whether you were there or not, I was always in the room. While you were learning, I was learning. No one ever thought I would leave that place, so they didn’t think to worry about me soaking up every spell. I learned from every high mage. From you. From Anatolie. The worst curse I thought I had was that I could never forget anything. I have since learned it wasn’t a curse.”