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Ivy squared her shoulders and faced the witch queen. “You can. I know you won’t, not for a long time, but I’m ready to wait for that.”
“Well said.” Thea nodded. “After Raika’s call, I took the liberty to put some clean clothes in your closet and some toiletries in the bathroom. If the size is wrong, if you would like another style, or if anything is missing, let us know. I’ll see to it personally.”
“Thank you,” Ivy muttered.
“You’ll receive meals four times a day,” Drake went on. “And I’ll come back first thing in the morning to question you. The more you collaborate with us, the faster and easier this transition will be.”
Ivy nodded. “Understood.”
“Raika,” Thea said. I turned to her. “You probably want to stay and we’ll allow you to visit Ivy whenever you want, but Shane is almost here. Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to talk to him.”
I frowned. She had said that as if they had a choice. Of course I would visit my sister! If they hadn’t allowed it, I would have bought a fight. “Right.” I looked at Ivy. “Are you okay? Do you need anything right now?”
She shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. “No, I’m good. I think I’ll take a shower, put on clean clothes, and take a nap.”
I nodded. “I’ll come back later, then, okay?”
“Sure.”
Thea and Drake walked out first, and with one last glance at Ivy, I exited the door. A vampire guard closed the door and the whoosh of magic ran over it.
Drake stared at me. “Raika, before Shane arrives, could we have a quick word with you in my office?”
Shit, I was in big trouble. “Yes.”
I followed Drake and Thea to his office. Lavinia came with us, but the others dispersed—except for the handful of guards that stayed in front of the door, to make sure Ivy didn’t break out.
In Drake’s office, he gestured for us to take a seat. I sat down, and Lavinia sat in the chair beside mine. Thea took Drake’s chair while he stood beside her.
“You know what we're going to say, right?” Thea asked.
I wanted to pout, but tried to keep my expression neutral. I felt like a kid who had messed up, got caught, and would now get a punishment by her parents—and Thea was only eight years older than me!
“I do,” I said, my chin high. “That it was irresponsible, that I walked right into Paimon’s trap, and he could have killed me, and then you wouldn’t have a weapon.”
Drake shook his head, but Thea was the one to speak, “Those things are true, but we weren’t worried about you because you’re the only who can stop Paimon. We were worried because of you, that simple.”
“You’re part of the DuMoir family now,” Drake said. “We don’t want to see any harm come to you.”
That took me by surprise. I respected and liked them a lot, but we had met not long ago. I didn’t expect them to care that much, and knowing they did warmed my heart.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “It’s just … she’s my sister, and I know she isn’t evil. She has done bad things, yes, but it was because she was afraid of Paimon. He bullied her and she didn’t know better. She thought that if she could please him, he would care more.” So wrong. “But when she had to hurt me for him, she didn’t. And when he tried hurting me, she stopped him.”
“I remember how shocked you were,” Lavinia said.
I nodded. “After that, Ivy tried leaving Paimon, but he locked her up. He wanted to use her as bait for me.”
“Why you?” Drake asked.
“Because he wants my powers.” Thea and Drake exchanged a worried look. “He wants the full dragon’s magic, and he thinks that he can take it from me. Along with my darkfire. He wants it all.”
“That will kill you,” Thea muttered.
“I’m already dying,” I reminded her. “But the thing is, if he gets my magic, he’ll be unstoppable.”
Drake narrowed his eyes at me. “Didn’t he try to take it while you were there? How did you escape?”
I told him everything as best as I could. How I received Ivy’s message, the inn, the portal, the cell, the waiting, the escape. “Unfortunately, he got the key back from me.” That still hurt. If I had gotten the key, now we would have a huge advantage over her.
