AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Razai stated, “You have one minute with that leg.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Drawing every ounce of influence, gathering more magic than I’d ever had the courage to do and clenching it in a tight mental fist, I drove it all forward into the person kneeling before me.
Cole shouted. His back curled, body buckling with the weight of my power.
I demanded calmly, “Tell me everything you know about Benjamin Castile’s drug business.” Even with the calm tone, the words seemed to boom. They resonated as if in a deep chamber, layered by dozens of other voices.
Cole’s eyes bugged. He pressed his lips together as his cheeks turned redder and redder. Finally, he blurted, “I knew he was selling! I tried to get in and help him, but the fucker wouldn’t budge. Wouldn’t let me in on anything.”
Cole was a walking toy soldier in my hand. I could make him say anything I wanted, couldn’t I? With my same power-laden voice, I asked, “Did you kill Benjamin Castile?”
“No!”
“Who did?”
He shook his head and whimpered, “I don’t know! I don’t know anything about his death.”
“What about Clave? Did he know about what Benjamin was doing? Did he help?”
Cole’s body began to shake. Razai readjusted his hold to keep the guy from slumping as he answered, “C-clave didn’t know shit. I think he s-suspected, but no way would Ben… tell Clave.”
“What does Clave know?”
“They were doing extra lessons together. That’s all I can say, that’s all I know. Clave was teaching him some advanced illusion skills. I saw the books after they left his office one time.”
“What else?” Magic hissed through me, winding around Cole like a cobra marinating its dinner.
He cried out, “There’s nothing else! I swear! There’s nothing!”
I nearly released him, but I wanted to try something. I leaned forward and gripped a chunk of his hair, jerking it so he fully faced me. With my normal voice, I hissed, “Are you properly scared of me now?”
His eyes widened in panic. The whispered “Yes” was like music to my ears.
“Good. Remember that fear. I’m not going to report you. I’m not even going to tell President Castile what happened. I’m going to keep this little secret between you and me. Well, actually, the five of us. If you step a fucking hair out of line, I’m going to report you to the highest media bidder and ruin your public image, even if it’s fifty years from now, and the statute of limitations has run out.
“But I also want you to remember how I’ve made you feel. Remember this terror. Understand that I don’t have much to lose. But you… you have quite a bit. If you try to come after me, I’ll ruin you. I’ll do something ridiculous and destructive. Don’t ask me to get creative, because you won’t enjoy the result. In fact…”
I tightened my hold on him, and my voice of power rose up once more. “Tell me your worst secret.”
His reaction was instant. This truth was a little harder to pull out compared to the others, but I yanked it from him regardless. “I’ve embezzled millions from my family’s companies and hidden the money in offshore accounts. I’ve paid off the accountants to keep them quiet.”
Nodding, I released Cole from my magic. “That was useful,” I said. “Now, bring me the others.”
Razai did not, in fact, bring me the others. He dropped Cole with as much care anyone would show to a bag of cat litter and said, “Time’s up.”
“I feel fine,” I protested while Cole retched. What a nice little bonus.
He gave me a flat stare. “You feel high. Plus, you had a knife in your leg. Or did you not remember?”
I yelped as he hoisted me up and said, “It’s been a lovely evening, boys. Please know that I have video evidence of this entire scene. I hope to see you in class tomorrow.”
My vision became blurry. Magic pinged through my cells, seeming very awake compared to my drooping consciousness. “I’m going to pass out,” I informed the room.
“Such an amateur move, Detective.” The way he pulled me in a little tighter gave a different message than the teasing, though.
My eyes drifted close. “Just shut up and help me not die, ’kay?”
Cool, fresh air stung my cheeks moments after the caress of his whispered promise, “Don’t worry, love. I’m not letting you go.”
