Page 94 of The Witch’s Daughter

The terror in her eyes was real.

And the attendees gathered weren’t smiling. Nope. Their heads were turned down, refusing to meet my gaze, as I raised my hands, inching to the front of the pews.

“Tisiphone, so glad you could join us this morning.” Vincent’s deep voice amplified throughout the massive tent. “Tell me, did that poor little Alpha grow a thicker skin this time around?”

Let me out so I can kill him.

I swallowed down her anger. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play coy with me, witch.” Vincent’s tone lost its amused edge. “I see everything. And I always know where you are.”

Creepy. I kept inching forward, trying to appear non-threatening with my hands in the air. “I figured as much. So… What’s… um… going on?”

Calla’s muffled screams sounded somewhere between, “I’m tied up, you idiot,” and “I’m going to murder you after I get to him.”

Just speculating, but that seemed about right.

“Quiet.” Vincent silenced Calla by placing a gold-hilted knife to her throat. Her panicked gaze flew to me.

“Whoa, now!” I cried, taking another cautious step closer. “Hang on a second.”

Why was everyone just sitting here watching this happen? Would they attack me if I went after Vincent? I risked another glance at the pews, but everyone’s heads were still lowered as if they were praying.

Told you it was really was a cult.

“This wasn’t what I was expecting when you said you were building an army to save witches,” I tried for sarcasm as my nerves went haywire.

Vincent smirked. “That’s because you’re a blind, spoiled, naive little girl.”

Tell him to say that again, my wolf growled.

That’s what I wanted him to believe, wasn’t it? What I wanted them all to think.

“You can enlighten me. We’re all in this war effort together.” I blinked with doe eyes. “I was serious when I said I wanted to help.”

Help him right off a cliff.

His gaze narrowed. “How can you help when you still think building an army of witches will solve this?”

Isn’t that your plan?

The look of confusion on my face only made him grin harder. “You, and the lot of you out there, can’t even see that attacking one human city will alert the rest, putting the very same witches and warlocks we hope to save in jeopardy when the purists find out our motives.”

From the murmurs in the pews, I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t thought of that. But I didn’t point it out because he was still holding the knife.

“That’s why this is your army and we’re trusting you to lead,” I stroked his ego as I stepped closer to the dais. “But I don’t see how Calla being on this sacrificial altar solves anything.”

She glared at me.

Definitely thinking murder.

“Then you haven’t been paying attention.” Vincent pulled the knife from Calla’s throat and waved it toward the statues. “For far too long, the balance of power has been disrupted in our world. Humans suppressing magic. Wolves in full control. The gods didn’t create the world this way, and they are rightfully angry.”

“Amen,” the congregation muttered as one.

Oh crap. I jolted, looking at the pews again. Everyone was watching us now. Eager, on the edge of their seats. Dare I say, blood thirsty. Double crap.

I turned back to the real threat.