“We aren’t stealing magic, you fool,” Flint growls.
“We both know that isn’t true. You think we didn’t hear about what happened in the fae realm? We know that was just the beginning of the fae’s plot to control all the magic in the realms. So we found a way for us to do it too.”
“Stealing Jade’s ability.” Flint glances over at me.
“Fight fire with fire.” Rob looks smug for someone with one foot dangling in the grave.
“How many others know about me?” I ask, worrying that I might never get to rest.
Rob bites his lip and refuses to speak, but I can tell by Maxum’s raised eyebrow he’s got an answer.
Then the question that has been burning in the back of my mind rises to the surface. “How did you and Galiana find me? I thought I was hidden by the pendant.”
“You’re so stupid.” Rob laughs. “And so was your traitorous mother.”
His insults bounce right off me. Why should he rile me with his hateful words? His actions prove he’s only worth the time to make sure he’s dead soon.
It irritates me that he knew my true origins before I did.
Great job, abuela. Ugh. It was so hard to get that she wasn’t my grandmother at all. And although she was my biological mother, she wasn’t really my mom. Even my sister didn’t do a great job being a mom.
I sometimes wonder how I can be a kind and loving person when I didn’t have a good example. Can’t say I feel very loving right now.
“It’s in your nature, your soul, to be loving,”Flint says through our mental link, reading my thoughts like a book.“Sometimes it isn’t nurture that makes us who we end up being.”
“Well, I want blood now,” I say aloud for Arran and Maxum to hear. “It pisses me off what this bastard and Galiana did to me. And they hurt you guys.”
“It’s your revolting, violent fae and demon blood that make you a savage,” Rob says.
I laugh heartily at that. “I wasn’t a savage until you fucked with me. You prove witches and warlocks can easily be revolting and violent. Savage.” I bite back a burst of fury from the injustices I’ve endured. “Do you think forcing a spell on me to be your girlfriend was anything less than sexual assault? And you call these guys monsters?”
“Believe me, I didn’t enjoy being with you other than laughing about how I’d stolen your power.”
I stand up, my limit reached with his bullshit. It stings even if I don’t want it to. I wish I had thick enough skin that the thought of him touching me didn’t make me want to scrub my flesh from my bones. “I’m done here. In case there’s any doubt, you were so vile that I dumped your ass even while under your dark magic spell.”
Rob opens his mouth with a rebuttal.
“We can kill him now,” Maxum announces.
Rob’s flustered, red face pales instantly. “You need me,” he pleads to stall his fate.
“Ineverneeded you,” I snarl in his face.
Maxum grips Rob’s head, and Rob screams.
“Keep your psychic guard up to block his ghost,” Flint warns.
Rob’s eyes bulge with pain and turn glassy as the life drains from his body. For a moment, I’m tempted to destroy his soul,but I don’t feel like it’s my place to go that far. I sense karma will come for him in the afterlife.
I see a gray wisp slip into the astral plane and beyond.
Finally, I’m free of him, but I know there’s at least one more person we need to eliminate before we can relax.
“Are you okay?” Calder comes up behind me from the bedroom, his hand landing gently on my lower back.
Osen is right beside us, glaring at the warlock who stole everything from him.
“Not yet. But I’ll be better when we take out Galiana.” My jaw is set with my determination. Then I soften as I look at Osen. “You?”
