“You.” Nollix points at her. “Draw unwanted attention from King Melic.”
“We’re leaving.” Carver offers me his hand.
“Right this very second?” I squeak. Sparks fly under my skin like bottled lightning the moment I take his hand in mine. I know what it is by the taste on my tongue. Magic pulls. It yanks and tears apart the fibers of our being, taking us to wherever they’ve planned. Cameron’s squeal is lost to my ears, caught by the wind.
Sleep hasn’t let me out of its grip just yet, and the flight over Fallen comes and goes in a blur until we’re standing as five in front of a small but adorable home.
Adorable probably shouldn’t be a word used to describe a Warlock’s house, should it?
I’d always imagined it would be some dark, crusty building with threatening signs posted on the windows. Stay Out or Beware of Magic.
It’s the only house in sight. It rests happily atop a sloping hill. Secluded and alone. And that’s the only thing slightly creepy about it. Blue flowers dot a white picket fence line. The heavy floral smell guides our path as their boots stomp up the sidewalk. They haven’t even let us put on shoes.
This feels like a bad idea. Rushed. Or perhaps that’s the fog of sleep talking? I didn’t ask for Cameron, and she didn’t ask for me. Maybe it’s fate. Who am I to know?
Concrete is rough underfoot, my steps cautious, and my attention sweeping. Despite how cute and homemaker this house appears, I never want to be on a Warlock’s bad side. Nollix tells me that even Demons are cautious when Warlocks are involved.
Nollix doesn’t seem concerned at all as he knocks loudly against the cheery robin’s-egg blue door. The wind catches his hair, and he glances at me before pulling his attention quickly away.
That’s how it has always been between us. We cling to that avoidance because we both know confrontation follows if we don’t. Or so I’d like to think.
With great effort, the four of us combine our magic. It swirls around us chaotically in ashen colors. It takes concentrated power, but I feel it the moment it clicks into place.
The veil of invisibility that always shrouds my existence lifts away. It won’t last long, even I know that, but it’s a tingling and amazing feeling. The air feels cooler against my skin. Colors look brighter. I wish it could always be like this. But the revealing magic of the Wild Hunt has its limits.
Carver stands at my side, shifting his weight. His knuckles brush mine.
“This won’t take long. It’ll be figured out in just a few hours.”
I step carefully away from him, avoiding his minimal contact. I don’t want to be that weak little girl who needs these fucks to take care of her.
“Did you ever think it’s a problem I could have taken care of myself?” My fingers dig into my palms.
“Well, yeah, but you don’t have to, Vi.” Carver’s voice sounds harder now, and even Jeriko glances back at the two of us. “The Wild Hunt is afamily. Not that you ever wanted to be our family.”
My teeth grind painfully together.
“I don’toweyou anything, Carver.” My lips purse as I glare hard at the side of his face. “I never asked to be your family.”
It’s hard not to think of last night. How they followed me into the castle and back out without question. I think about sitting around the fire peeling away the layers of fancy clothing and watching them burn together while we shared in our hate.
Nollix turns and levels me with a fuming look. “You think they asked for this?” He’s right there in my face, breathing down on me with a manic look in his eyes.
My chest brushes his as I stare up at him.
“Step back from me. Now.” The magic within me shakes to life, and I know when he feels it.
His eyes shift back and forth between mine as he considers me for a minute. The pink of his tongue rolls across his lower lip, and he tips his head down even closer to me.
“Did it ever occur to you that Iwantto see the quiet rage you tuck so carefully away, Violence?” A taunting smile threatens his full lips, and it makes my blood boil.
Why does he say the craziest things?
The pretty blue door swings open, and for a second, Nollix is still breathing down on me with intent.
“Cameron, how nice to see you again. Who are your friends?”
My attention shifts to the thief at my other side before pushing past Nollix to see a smiling man. His eyes glow an eerie golden color as he gives Cameron a welcoming look.
