Page 76 of Rogue Witch

My smile drops away when the wolves turn toward us. Seton picks up speed and whispers something I can’t discern. The trees melt away and the roar of the motorcycle recedes until we’re standing on a dark street in—

We’re in New York City on that same street where the wolves tried to rob us.

“Seton,” I cry.

He steps past me, just as he did that night, and I catch sight of the shifters standing ten feet away. What are we doing here? How did we get here? Where is the country road and his motorcycle?

“We can take them,” Seton says in a low voice. “Remember what I taught you.”

What? I stare, uncomprehending.

“Remember,” he whispers. “Anger.”

Then I remember. Seton taught me that anger is one of the strongest forces in magic. “Draw on anger, and you can’t lose. Anger brought about one of the biggest catastrophes in history,” he’d said with a laugh. “Be that sorceress.”

Elexea, Damien’s Demon Bride, had been so enraged when the Atlantean king sent an assassin to kill her that she unleashed magic powerful enough to sink Atlantis. She killed herself in the process, but she took the assassin with her.

The same anger I’d felt then wells up and I shout, “Suck this, mother fuckers.”

Wind breaks through the ground and curls into a tornado with a deafening rush of air that nearly drowns out the shifters’ screams. They whirl and lunge away from the tornado, but it yanks them up into its swirling center. My hair snaps with stinging force around my face.

“Woo hoo!” Seton scoops me up and swings me around. “I knew you could do it,” he shouts. The rest of his words are lost in the roar of wind.

A police siren blares in the distance. I whip my head in the direction of the street. The cops are on their way. Release of so much magic is sure to have alerted the Margiddian Watchmen, as well. They’ll want to be sure we’re not practicing magic that will draw Shadows to us. I’m not Grams.

“I don’t practice Shadow magic,” I say, and realize I’m lying on the sofa in Gram’s living room, staring up at the ceiling.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

ETHAN

Despite Raith’s anger toward Leilah, I get the feeling that he wants to confirm she’s okay. If not for the fact that he’s headed to the infirmary where they were keeping Chelsea when she escaped, I would almost guess that he gave Blade and I assignments so that he could check on her himself. But that’s just my jealousy. Chelsea’s mother has arrived. I don’t envy Raith that meeting.

Once I finish my interview with Ariel, my next duty is to assign two Watchmen to the potionary. We want to be ready if the angels make another attempt to conjure Damien. I’m still stunned—we’re all stunned—that the angels were able to conjure him. I wouldn’t have believed they had the power. I can’t recall a single instance where anyone conjured Damien. He’s a powerful demigod. More powerful than some gods.

I round the cafeteria when I catch sight of a student headed my way on the walkway. Jonas. His eyes lock with mine and I read relief. I increase my pace and reach him a moment later.

“Is something wrong, Jonas?”

“I—” His gaze drops. “I’m probably just being stupid.”

I lay a hand on his shoulder. “Not a chance. What’s on your mind? Have you spoken with your parents?”

He looks up at me. “Oh, yeah. They want me to come home, but I told them I’m okay.”

“Maybe a short visit wouldn’t hurt?” I suggest.

“I’m not a baby,” he shoots back.

“Maybe going home for a day or two isn’t about you,” I say.

His brow furrows, then he says, “Oh, you mean it might make my parents feel better?”

“Maybe,” I say.

“I guess I could go for two days. You won’t let them take me out of The Academy, will you?”

“Is that what they want to do?”