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"You think that Mab will go after Bria again?" Owen asked.
I thought about it. "Eventually. But I don't see how she can right now. Mab's had too many losses, too many setbacks in a row. After what happened tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if some of her own men turned against her or maybe even just defected outright. The other underworld sharks like Phillip Kincaid are definitely smelling the blood in the water. Mab will have to work on shoring up her own organization first before makes another run at Bria. I think I've bought her some time, at least. "
I was determined to kill Mab long before she set her sights on Bria again-no matter what.
It was late, and I didn't feel like driving home, so I spent the rest of the night in one of Jo-Jo's guest bedrooms-the same room I'd woken up in just the day before. I was wiped out from everything that had happened tonight, but I wasn't too tired to dream . . .
It took longer than I thought it would to navigate through the ruined rubble of my house. There were fires everywhere. Busted water pipes that gushed like geysers, broken, splintered glass that cut into my bare feet, electrical wires that sent up showers of blue and red sparks in all directions.
I still couldn't believe I'd done all this with my Ice and Stone magic. That I'd somehow managed to collapse my own house and cause all this destruction with my screams of rage and pain and fear. I hurried on as fast as I could, picking my way over the piles of rubble, ignoring the sharp rocks that sliced my feet and the raw, fresh agony of the silverstone metal that had been melted into my hands. I'd stopped long enough to rip away part of my nightgown, soak it in cold water, and wrap the scraps around my palms, but they still hurt so much, sending a fresh, pulsing wave of pain through me with every beat of my heart. But no matter how much I hurt, no matter how much pain I was in, I was determined to find Bria and go-somewhere. Just get away. Before the Fire elemental found us and killed us both.
Finally I stumbled out of the house and into the garden in the courtyard outside the kitchen. An hour ago, it had been a beautiful spot, with thick stands of flowers and plants and trees and bushes, all arranged around a gurgling stone fountain. But part of the house had collapsed onto the fountain, smashing it to pieces.
And that wasn't the worst thing I saw. A man's arm stuck out of the rubble there, his blood a bright crimson against the white, pulverized marble.
I stopped and looked at the arm. Whoever it was attached to had to be dead, even though blood still dripped off the ends of the fingers. And I realized that I'd caused this too. That I'd used my magic to crush someone to death, even though that hadn't been my intention at the time. The thought made my stomach twist, and for a moment, I thought I might vomit. But I swallowed down my hot, bitter, sour bile and moved on. I'd feel guilty later. Right now, all that mattered was finding Bria.
I slipped past the bloody arm and crushed fountain and headed for the far side of the courtyard, where a set of stairs climbed up to the second level of our house. The stone stairs were actually hollow underneath, with a secret chamber inside. A couple of months ago, I'd dragged a table, some chairs, and Bria's favorite doll house into the chamber so we could be comfortable in there while we played. It was also my favorite place to come whenever Bria and I were playing hide-and-seek, because she never thought to look for me in there. But then again, she was only eight.
After I'd seen the Fire elemental murder Mother and Annabella, I'd snatched Bria out of bed, put her in the secret chamber, and told her to stay there until I came back to get her. Nobody knew about the hollow stairs but our family, so no one would find Bria there. At least, I hadn't thought they would until I'd heard my baby sister scream.
I rounded another wall of rocks, and the staircase came into view. I looked up and froze, my heart plummeting to my feet like a cold, lead weight that had been dropped off a bridge.
Because instead of the hollow staircase, all I saw now was a pile of rubble.
"Bria?" I whispered.
She didn't answer me.
"Bria!" My voice grew louder, sharper, as the panic set in.
I hurried over and dropped to my feet beside the rubble, trying to dig through it, trying to claw my way through the stone to get to Bria, who surely had to be trapped underneath. But the rocks were far too heavy for me to move by myself. Only one thing to do. So I stood up, wiped my tears away, and lashed out with my Ice and Stone magic, just like I had before when I'd been tied down to the chair.
One by one, I blasted the rocks out of my way, not even caring that the flying shards stung my face like bees. Blood ran down my hands and cheeks, mixing with my own hot tears.
Finally, I found the thing that I was dreading most. Because instead of Bria, instead of my baby sister smiling up at me out of the rocks, all I saw was blood.
So much blood.
Too much blood for anyone to lose and still live.
Bria was dead. I'd brought her out here and hidden her so that she would be safe from the Fire elemental and her men. She probably had been-until I'd used my Ice and Stone magic. Until I'd lost control and lashed out with it without thinking. I'd caused our whole house to crumble-right on top of my baby sister.
I'd killed my own sister with my magic.
My knees buckled, and I crumpled in the rubble, screaming once more, this time with grief. Bria was dead . . . dead . . . and I'd killed her-
I woke up with my mouth open in a silent scream and cold sweat dripping down my face. For a moment I was back there again, trapped in the rubble of my own house, slowly realizing that I'd killed my younger sister even while I'd been so desperately trying to save her. It was as fresh and raw to me as if it had just happened.
Then I remembered who I was. Where I was. And that I was safe now. And so was Bria.
I flopped back against the pillow and turned my head, my eyes going to the phone resting on the nightstand beside me. I reached for it. I thought that I'd lost Bria once back then, and I'd carried the guilt of her supposed death with me ever since. I wasn't letting her go a second time, no matter what it took for her to accept me. No matter how long it took.
The phone rang three times before she picked it up.
"Hello?" She sounded as wide awake as I was right now, despite the late hour.
For a moment, I found myself searching for words, the way I always did whenever I called her. I drew in a breath and forced myself to speak.
