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In my hurry to get out of here, I barely remember to grab the grimoire from Dad’s desk and double back before beelining it for the door.
The plan has changed, but the aim is the same: get the fuck away from the vampires, and the werewolves, and any other supernatural creature that would prefer to see me dead.
As I pass the threshold, the crash and growling of chaos unfolding disappears so quickly it’s jarring. I look over my shoulder. Finn’s mouth opens in a scream as he’s taken to the ground by the flurry of bats—yet the hall remains quiet.
The witches must have spelled the room for silence.
I careen down the creaky old stairs in my haste to escape. I can’t find it in me to wish death on Fintan. If I run into Rune or—less preferably—Sebastian, I’ll set them on rescue duty while I use the Moon Witches’ surprise arrival to make my getaway.
Finn lives, and so do I. Win-win.
I’m flying down the stairs so quickly that when I hit something solid on the last step, my nose smashes into it first. I cough and taste blood, and when I raise my gaze, I meet Sebastian’s vampire-red glare.
The smile that pulls at his lips raises goosebumps on my arms and turns my blood cold.
My nose twitches suddenly, and I can’t hold back the sneeze that spews blood all over the front of Sebastian’s shirt.
His face screws up in disgust.
He may have broken my nose, so I think a bit of bloody snot on his cashmere button-down is more than fair.
“Remember, when you are begging for my mercy, that I gave you fair warning, witch.”
“Wait, Finn—” My plea for help is cut off by Sebastian’s maniacal bark of laughter.
“Fintan isn’t going to save you now.”
There isn’t time for this.
“Stop and listen to me for one second!” Summoning my magic with every word, I call forward the energizing rays of the sun. A glow starts from the tips of my fingers and spreads up through my body, lighting me up from within and encasing me in an intense heat.
Sebastian jumps back, squinting at me.
“That’s better.” I step forward and revel in the joy that comes with seeing Sebastian retreat. I advance again, and he hisses as the light touches the bare skin of his arm.
My spell is nothing compared to the rays of the actual sun—it blisters his skin, but not faster than the vampire can heal. Still, it feels good to make him hurt—to get a slice of vengeance for what he did to Mom and Dad.
Sebastian’s eyes widen as the intensity of my magic hits him full force.
Good. He should be afraid of me.
I scream as the wave of anger crests over me, igniting the torrent of magic inside me and sending it supernova. Before my magic can erupt from me like lava spilling from a volcano, Sebastian vanishes into the shadows.
“Enough games, Josephine,” he growls, his voice laced with dark satisfaction as he reemerges behind me, twisting my arm back and forcing me to my knees.
I cry out as the pain intensifies, but Sebastian is right: this time Fintan won’t be coming to my rescue. The light of my magic cuts out as I lose concentration, the sharp pain radiating through my shoulder stealing my attention.
I think he dislocated it.
“It is time you learned your place.” The click of metal is followed by a sudden wave of nausea—familiar and all-encompassing.
A magic blocking collar.
No. Finn needs me. If he dies, I’m as good as dead, too. He’s the only thing keeping me alive at this point.
“There.” Sebastian looks down at me approvingly as I struggle to get back on two feet. “Much more sophisticated than the hunk of junk the wolves made you wear, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Finn—”
