“Why do we spend so much time worrying about a human teenager?” the witch barks out.
“I prefer not to underestimate my enemies, regardless of power,” Vincent purrs.
“She’s prey,” Bea says with a cruel smile. “She is fearful like prey. She is not a threat to us.”
The council laughs as one.
“You better kill her before she kills you.” The laughter stills and all eyes shift to the jinn, whose eyes are lidded. “That’s all I’m going to say.”
Vincent runs a finger down her cheek. Liz’s nostrils flare, but she doesn’t move.
“Now, now, my little slave,” he says. “It makes sense for you to hope your big sister is going to save you, but she is a bug under our feet. You’re going to enjoy the plan I have for her. If you play nice, we might hold those next games so you can go free. Otherwise, we’ll keep you as our pet forever. Which do you prefer?”
She curls a lip but otherwise doesn’t respond.
“I’m eager to meet this human,” a powerful voice booms. “I’d like to crush her skull in.” I wince at the cyclops’s loud voice.
My stomach drops to my feet. Why, of all the beings in this room, does that one in particular bother me most? My stomach is growing heavier and heavier. I don’t know what to make of it.
“You will not get that chance, Halvard, but you can watch as sister turns on sister. We can all share in that entertainment. It will be so much more fun than the games with all the mindless killing. Before I get ahead of myself, let’s begin the proceedings.”
My heart picks up its pace as I wait for my moment. Make it or break it. Bea is either on our side or against us. Did she follow through? Will it all happen right now?
I bite the inside of my lip.
She is fearful like prey.
Fear is intuition.
Intuition is my power.
Obviously, I’m afraid of all of these beings for good reason. But is it significant that this one being bothers me more than the others?
I frown, staring at the cyclops as the lights dim in the room. Candles flare to life, and they begin a chant.
The fae stands, holding the wooden cup. “I, Count Asad Raiden, swear by my own magic to uphold the power of the Cosmic Council. Any new information that is shared while these candles are lit will never pass from my lips without permission from the jinn, whom we serve.”
I blink.Whom we serve?What does that mean? Do they consider the jinn to be some kind of deity? And if so, how fucked up is it that they keep her trapped and treat her so badly?
The fae sips from the wooden cup, sealing his vow, and licks his lips.
One by one, they each make the same promise and swallow down the liquid.
My heart throbs harder. Several people cover their ears when the cyclops yells out his vow. My mind spins with the panic pressing down.
That fear grows louder, screaming in my mind.
Something is wrong.
57
Something Is Wrong
This isn’t just fear.
Something about the cyclops is wrong. I just don’t know what it is yet.
“What’s wrong?” Janet asks, touching my thigh again.
