Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Good luck with that. As far as I can tell, all Myrddin’s done for you is steal a piece of your soul.” I hated how cold she looked.
“It wasn’t a piece I needed, and I gave it to him. He didn’t have to steal anything from me. I have to go and look for the princess,” she said, glancing around as though trying to make sure Evan wasn’t here. She looked back down, her expression going as soft as I’d seen her since her transformation. “I’ve changed my mind about leaving you behind. I’m taking you with me but not to hurt you. I want you to see how thoroughly the king has lied to you. Myrddin isn’t bad. He’s just doing what he has to.”
This was what it felt like when a friend joined a cult. “He has to deliver the Earth plane to demons?”
“He has to elevate his people so that the vampires and wolves never subjugate us again,” she said with the surety of a believer. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “When we get to the Coven House, I can’t let him know how much I still love you. Not until he’s taken care of your doubts. You might not believe this but it’s what I meant to do with Casey that day. My plan wasn’t to kill him. I meant to bring him back with me so he could see the beauty of Myrddin’s ideas. Once you’ve spent time with my master, you’ll see, and we’ll get Casey and we’ll all be happy together.”
“Only if he manages to take control of my brain, sister,” I replied.
She smiled down like I’d said something that pleased her. “Yes. Then we’ll be happy.”
There was a knock on the door, and I heard someone remind Liv of the time and she sighed.
“I’m coming. The Hunter is secure,” Liv said as she walked past me. “Her only protector is a runt of a hellhound. We’ll take him with us once we’ve found the princess. I know she’s here. She’s using magic, but it won’t get her out of this apartment. I’ve locked us in tightly. The only way in or out right now is through those paintings. Did I thank you for moving them all in here? I thought we would have to sneak around.”
I growled her way.
She laughed as she walked out the door. “We’ll leave soon. Try to go in with an open mind and all will be well. It’s only a matter of time before we find the little bitch.”
They were still talking as they walked out and closed the door behind them.
Puff started licking my face again.
“Is she gone?” a soft voice asked.
Fuck. Evan was really here, and we were totally in trouble because I didn’t think Liv was lying about locking the place down. “I don’t know. Don’t you dare come out of hiding.”
Puff was up, two paws on my hip, sniffing the air and whining as he looked for a mom he couldn’t see.
“Sorry, buddy,” Evan was saying. “I tried to get him in my arms when I realized what was happening, but he was fast. Now I’m worried if I pick him up, I could screw up the charm. He can’t smell me or see me. Poor baby. He’s confused.”
“Do not pick him up. She’s not going to hurt him.” I didn’t need for Evan to get caught because her puppy wanted attention. “How are you invisible?”
“It’s a charm, but she’s right. It’s not going to work forever, and they’ve taken control of the whole apartment.” Evan’s voice came from somewhere to my right. “They have wards up to keep Fenrir from getting to us, and Eddie can’t get back into the Under at all which means that neither can Trent. Where’s Gray? Did he get away?”
I growled at the thought of my husband leaving at such an inopportune time. “He’s witnessing something. Asshole.”
“Witnessing?” Evan asked, and I could feel her weight on the bed behind me. “Oh, like a prophecy being fulfilled. I wonder what’s happening.”
I didn’t care. I cared about the fact that I was alone with a competent but still fragile princess who Myrddin would use to unlock my sword, but likely only after he shoved a thrall stone in my head and I joined his drooling sycophants. “I only care about what’s happening here. Do you have a charm that might get me out of these bindings?”
“No. I’m pretty sure we’re going to need a serious witch to get you out of those, and we don’t even have Jade,” Evan admitted. “By now Fen’s got to know something’s going wrong, and he’ll stash Jade before he tries to figure out how to get in here.”
“How many witches are we facing?”
“The whole of the Profane are in here, but I suspect there are many more up top. That’s how they’re keeping Eddie out,” she explained. “From what I overheard, they’ve been planning this for a long time. They want to use me to unlock the sword. They aren’t sure the sword will respond to Myrddin, so they want you as a backup. Basically they’ll kill me and then either Myrddin or you will use the angelic power stored from your fight with Jude to close the doors to the Heaven plane. Whatever angels here will be stuck on Earth and vulnerable to the demons. The new gnome has been working with them. That’s how they knew I was here in the Under. I overheard them talking and they faked the whole werewolf attack thing to ensure they could keep Fen and Trent away from the gardens. Either one of them would have been able to smell the secret grove where he grew the belladonna and other forbidden plants.”