“Thank you,” she said before looking at me. “Now hear me out for a second.” She reached over the couch for the book. “I was just reading this—”
Cursing, I dove to snatch the book away from her. Because maybe that part of her story was true—that the book had helped her escape. She’d just failed to mention the part abouthow, instead lying and sharing that the book had pulled her toward the source.
Maybe the alternate story had been close enough to the truth to trick Zakkai’s spell.
Well, I’m onto you now, little rebel.
“You arenotsummoning another portal,” I growled as I gripped the book. It vibrated in protest, but I ignored it. “You’re staying right here. With me. YourWarden.”
I’d worked hard to build up my new identity. While there was some room for growth, I was still Lucifer’s Warden. Just in a different capacity right now.
Camillia crossed her arms and glowered at me like I was an idiot. “I don’t think Vita likes to be manhandled like that.”
As if to confirm Camillia’s statement, the book heated until it burned, making me bite off another curse as I dropped it to the floor.
“And I wasn’t trying to escape,” she added.
“Really?” I drawled, stalking around the couch. “Because that’s what it damn well looked like.”
I called my wand and summoned the cuffs I should have put on her in the first place. Just like I’d done last night. It’d been a mistake to ever take them off.
She loosened her arms and took a step back. “You’re not putting those on me.”
I whirled my wand, sending the cuffs on a path to snag around her wrists.
But she deflected it, a bright light appearing from her necklace as the cuffs clattered uselessly to the floor.
It seemed that she’d learned more tricks than just summoning portals.
I raised an eyebrow. “So everything has been a lie?” I asked her. “All your stories? The seductive games? Your pretend feelings?”
She appeared startled, like she hadn’t expected me to call her out on her bullshit. “What?”
“You heard me.” I took a step toward her. “Your lies have all been revealed now, Camillia. Iseeyou.” For a few unbelievable moments, I’d actually fallen for her tales of innocence.
And who could blame me? She was clever. Beautiful. Alluringly determined.
Fuck, I was getting hard right now just staring at her. All that crafty energy and cunning intelligence made her so incredibly strong, so fuckinggorgeous.
I shadowed directly in front of her and backed her up against the flaming wall, pressing her into it. She jolted at first, clearly afraid of being burned, but her inner power burst out to protect her, confirming everything I needed to know.
“You are so much more than you say you are, little rebel,” I murmured, my hands against her hips, my knuckles brushing the walls. “But so am I.”
As I proved now by holding on to her even while the flames surged.
I might not be a true Hell Fae, but my power had been realigned by Zakkai. It’d been at the request of Lucifer, his way of ensuring my safety while working in his realm.
The realignment made me a true abomination, to be connected to both the Midnight Fae Source and the Hell Fae Source. Not many even knew about the link, the tenuous bond more of a test than a permanent connection. But it protected me now as the Hellfire burned hot behind Camillia.
However, Camillia’s magic felt different. It seemed to glow across her skin, making my brow furrow. Because it was distinctly unlike a Hell Fae’s.
Actually, it… it reminded me of Melek.
Because of her necklace?I wondered, noting the shining star. That had also been what she’d used to deflect my cuffs.
My frown deepened.Is she using spells he taught her? Or is this something else entirely?
I met her gray gaze, noting the sheer panic dilating her pupils. She appeared frozen despite being pressed up against a hot wall, her jaw clenched tight.
