Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
He turned away, and I didn’t understand him or his purpose. “Why? Why would you wish me luck? I wouldn’t have saved you, you know. I would have done anything to learn all of your secrets.”
He turned slightly, and there was a weary look on his face. “I know this and I still wish you well because I heard all the stories about you. About how brave you were. About how kind and loving. Something terrible happened to you and you’re angry at that woman, the woman you used to be. I was, too, even though I could not remember him. When you forgive yourself, you can find a new you. One with all the will you have today and the love that filled you then. Your true power never left you. You gave it away. So make the decision to get it back.”
He turned and walked out, and I tried to punch my hand through a wall.
That was warded too. All I got was pain.
Story of my life.
Chapter Four
Kelsey
I made it back to my house and was walking up the stairs as Sasha was walking out.
We don’t do locks in Frelsi. It’s kind of weird that people walk in and out, but that’s the human part of me. On a werewolf compound there’s no real privacy. Packs are always up in each other’s business. It’s probably because their senses are so good that locks and alarms aren’t needed to know a threat is coming.
Or when to not open that door because you’re going to see way too much behind it.
I didn’t even ask the vampire what he was doing here. I was far too worried about Dean, and there was only one person who would know what kind of spell the Profane would use to assassinate a target like Lee.
I had to hope that she was willing to talk.
I rushed up the stairs and found her cradling her hand.
I shook my head. “What did you do?”
Her eyes came up, shooting fire my way. “Nothing that matters. What the hell do you want, Kelsey? I’m sick of every single person you know coming in here to feed me propaganda. If you’re back to give me more lies about my master, save it. I’m not listening anymore.”
I didn’t have time for her damage. “What would you use if you wanted to kill a vampire?”
“A stake is always handy.”
“I mean a spell.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What happened?”
I wasn’t sure I should tell her, but I also didn’t see a way around it. I didn’t think she was going to consider hypotheticals. I also had to tiptoe around a couple of truths since my bestie looked a bit overstimulated. “Someone tried to kill Lee.”
Her eyes rolled, and she shook her hand out as though trying to shake off pain. “Some dumbass witch tried to murder a vampire king?”
I would go with that. “Yup. So what spell would said dumbass witch use?”
“She wouldn’t because there’s no one that stup…” She went still for a moment, obviously considering the situation. “There is one spell that could potentially work. Only the highest-level of witch would even try it. Are you really telling me there was an attempt on Lee’s life?”
I didn’t like that she was putting the pieces together so rapidly. “Yes. He’s okay because someone who was with him stepped in front of him and took the spell.”
Her eyes widened, and I would have sworn there was a moment of panic in there. “Rhys?”
I shook my head. “Dean.”
Now I didn’t have to swear. The panic was right there. “Myrddin’s son? A witch killed Myrddin’s son? We have strict orders not to hurt him. We’re supposed to bring him in.”
I’d been hoping she would react like this. She might be able to shrug off Rhys taking the hit or someone in the rebellion she didn’t know, but Myrddin had been interested in his biological son. I’d had to hope that would transfer to Liv since she seemed to kiss the man’s ass. “He’s alive, but Lily doesn’t think he has long, and the king wants us to move to Gray’s tonight.”
“Because the attempt happened somewhere close and the king isn’t willing to risk the witches finding this place and laying waste to it,” she mused. “Lily is an idiot who can’t possibly know how a proper witch works.”
I couldn’t not sigh at her pretentious words, but I had to ignore them because I had a job to do. “That’s why I came to you, the expert at killing people with dark magic.”
She frowned my way. “I certainly wouldn’t say that. You know I haven’t actually killed a lot of people. Most of the creatures I killed, I did it for you. When you think of it that way, you’re the worst leader I’ve ever had.”
She was good with throwing the blame around. “Sure thing, sister. Killing the demon who was trying to freeze me to death was a tragic mistake on your behalf. Can you help me with Dean?”