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“I have to use a stronger spell.” Alia’s purple strands scuttled up my legs like minions following her command. They wrapped around my torso and slinked up my neck.
Tremors rippled over my frame, and the room blurred.
“Stop,” Fane demanded.
She continued wrapping—more like attacking—me with those magic bands. “But I’ve only just tapped—”
“Now, Alia!”
The witch peered at him from the corner of her eyes. “This is what you asked for. Just be patient.”
Something cracked inside me, and pain lashed directly below my ribs where the Infernal Sol created the sun tattoo. Fire burned in my veins, and my back arched as a scream tore from my mouth.
A burst of power erupted out of me and hit Alia, tossing her across the room. Drywall fractured and crumbled as she hit the wall, and the candles winked out, spilling shadows through the room. I fell back and knocked my already pounding head on the ground.
The coppery taste of blood seeped into the back of my mouth, and buzzing filled my ears. Fane appeared over me, speaking, but I couldn’t hear his words. He lifted my shirt and laid his palm over the sun tattoo.
His head jerked toward Alia who staggered back to the circle, her braids falling in her face and clothes disheveled. “What did you do?” Like lethal shards of ice, his voice finally penetrated the fog in my head. “I told you to be careful.”
Alia lifted her trembling hands. “I didn’t anticipate the natural barriers around the amulet or the power inside her. It’s not just in her. It’s part of her.”
“I thought your magic was so gentle and soothing,” I grumbled and pushed myself into a sitting position, Fane still hovering nearby. “That was a bit of a stretch.”
The witch wiped a trickle of blood from beneath her nose. “I can’t help. I don’t want any part of that.” She shook her head, her cheeks pale. “It’s a demon object. Perhaps you need to go to a demon for assistance.”
Fane cursed and grabbed my arms, pulling me to my feet. I swayed as the room spun, and he caught me before I fell back on my ass. “If you puke on me again, you’re buying me new boots.”
I steadied myself and flipped him off. “Buy your own boots, Maverick.”
He wrapped his rough hand around my arm. “Let’s go.”
“Sorry I couldn’t help,” Alia called as we headed to the front of the store. “You know where to find me, Fane, if you need some company.”
I made a gagging sound, and he stepped away before he realized I was faking.
“Cute. Very cute, Teague.” He disengaged both locks and shoved the door open.
We’d been in the shop longer than I’d thought, and the sun had already set, darkness creeping along the street. As Fane silently stomped down the sidewalk, everyone scurried out of his way like he was a boulder barreling from the mountainside.
A throb pulsated against my skull, so I rubbed my temples to alleviate it.
Fane studied me, a muscle in his jaw twitching. “We’ll try again soon. I might have a few ideas.”
“You have ideas?” I scoffed. “That doesn’t fill me with confidence.”
Before he could give a retort, his head cocked to the side, and he sniffed the air. My skin prickled as eyes bored into us.
“We’re being followed,” I said.
“Karn’s guys.” Fane flicked his gaze to a man casually leaning against a streetlight, smoking a cigarette. But he was no man. He was a demon.
Another one sat on a bench, looking at her phone. A third one stood in line at a food truck, the aroma of tacos wafting on the wind.
Son of a bitch.
“I guess they decided to hunt us down under Lord Ruin’s nose and risk his wrath,” I said.
“This way.” Fane grabbed my arm and hurried into an alley.
