Page 14 of Mage Massacres

Stone made a series of strange sounds, and I huffed at him. “We don’t speak or understand demonic. Can you translate that?”

“It doesn’t translate to English.” He shrugged.

Miller groaned as she flipped through the pages. “I can only read half of this. Is there a glossary or a key or—Nevermind. We’ll stick with death moths. Tell me the important bits.”

“Concentrate, release, feed, command.”

She rubbed at her forehead. “I need more of an explanation than that, Stone.”

“Don’t touch them.”

He smirked at us as three black and gray moths rose from his back, their wings tipped in crimson.

“York, you can bring that plant back to life, right?” the demon asked me, concentration making his voice quiet.

“Yeah. Give me a second.”

I brushed my fingers over the dirt in the terracotta pot, feeling a rush as I brought the dead fern back to total health. The lush green fronds lasted seconds as the moths landed amongst the blades. They sucked the life out of it quicker than I could comprehend.

I whipped my attention to Stone, noticing his brow creased, but his voice wasn’t as strained as it was a moment ago. “Do it again.”

So I did. This time they fed as I pushed my earth magic into the plant. It felt like hours dragged by before I finally spotted the deep green clinging to the fronds of the fern.

“You should stop them, Stone. I imagine building their appetites up is a good and bad thing. Finish reading the journal before you release them again,” Millie softly suggested as she observed the moths.

He sighed as they fluttered around the room. “You’re right. That’s the first time they’ve been out since my father gave them to me. But I do need to know more about them. I haven’t read the entire journal front to back; I’ve only skimmed through it.”

I listened to Stone and Miller talk while Briggs and Vaughn asked them questions. I wasn’t interested in their conversation, though. The vampire was oddly quiet as he stared at the fern, unseeing and not wholly with us.

“If you guys are done with me, I’m—” I started.

“Go check on her,” Briggs finished, his words rushed as he nodded his head.

Tipping my chin at him, I walked away to search for our mate in the maze of wooden walls and ancient artwork.

I used the tracking magic to find Sloane. It was the first time I’d put it to the test, but it wasn’t difficult. With my intentions clear on seeking her out, I felt a tug in my chest, an invisible string that tied me to her. It was so similar to the mate bond’s pull before it was sealed that I had to fight to stay out of my memories.

The draw to her led me past the living room and around a corner at the end of the long hall. The wooden walls needed a good dusting and polish. The imagery of a spotless estate made this place feel like a perfect fit for someone whose title was High Priestess.

I stopped in front of a closed door, knowing that my mate was on the other side. When I knocked, there was no answer. I turned the brass knob, giving myself enough space to pop my head around the edge to warn her that I was coming in. Then I pushed the door open all the way.

I observed Sloane from the threshold of her mother’s office, but she didn’t move. She didn’t acknowledge that she heard my steps or felt my presence. Her mind was an empty vessel, swallowed up by the gray cloud hanging over her. I rubbed my hand over my mouth before calling out to her.

“Hey.”

“Mmm,” she hummed, dragging her eyes away from a picture on the wall.

It took her considerable effort to peek over her shoulder. Her red-ringed eyes continuously scanned the black and white images in the ornate frames. She was here, but she wasn’t. She was on an entirely different plane of existence at the moment, and I wasn’t sure if I should bring her back or let her wander for a little longer.

Concern won the battle within me.

“Sloane?”

“I’m listening.”

“Turn around.”

Her shoulders rose and fell with her sigh, and I knew before I saw her entire face that she was beyond just holding her tears back. Her emotions were all over the place, and her muscles had a slight tremor to them.