Wasting no time, the Star crouches down and claims the Sword of Breath and Blade, while the Tower claims both the Pentacle of Iron and Bone and the Chalice of Blood and Sorrow, carefully fitting them into his pack.
The Devil takes nothing.
Of all the Arcana, he is the most weak-minded. The most susceptible to temptation. It’s no wonder they won’t allow him to touch the objects.
In the Star’s hand, the Sword glows like pale moonlight, and for the briefest instant, its power shines in her blue eyes.
I wonder if it’s a mistake letting her hold it so long. I’m not sure I can take all three of them without the Wand, but—
“Happy now?” The Devil barks, breaking her fixation. “Can we get the fuck out of here, please?”
“Baz…” The Tower shakes his head in warning. Then, turning to me, he says, “Sorry, Ani. The three of us have some shit to work out. We’ll… we’ll catch you up on the way.”
“Is it because of me?” I ask, unable to resist. “Because of what the Black Sun did?”
He hesitates only a moment before shaking his head, but that fraction of time—that momentary pause—is all the confirmation I need.
I’ve driven them apart.
The rest will be easy.
Again, I’m forced to hide a smile.
“I don’t want you to worry about it,” he says. “We’re just glad you’re back. Now let’s get Cass, get rid of these cursed objects, and get thehelloff these forsaken lands.”
The Tower and the Star lead us back out into the daylight, and I fall in behind them, acting as feeble and cowed as they’d expect from a broken mage who narrowly escaped death at the hands of the enemy.
With the Devil at my back, we clear the passageway and head into the Petrified Forest. Our route will soon take us past the petrified tree where I hid the Wand. Once it’s back in my hands, I can take them down and claim the objects for myself.
Keeping my eyes on the ground before me, I bite back another smile. Judgment wanted me to lead them back to his cave, but what’s the point? There’s no strength left in any of them. They’re used-up and empty. And now, I’m but minutes away from claiming the power of allfourArcana weapons. No longer must I rely on the Dark Arcana to set my path. I will forge my own with fire and fury. Magick will bemine. I’ll—
“Baz,now!”
The woman’s sudden command shatters my thoughts, and I snap my head up just in time to see the Wand—myWand—glowing in the hands of the Tower. Perched on the petrified tree beside him, that damnable owl peers down at me with eerie, glowing eyes.
“No!” I shout, but before I take a single step forward, the Devil is on me, kicking my legs out from under me and shoving me face-down into the dirt.
With a knee jammed firmly in my back, he binds my wrists behind me, then hauls me to my feet, keeping a firm grip on my wrists. “Don’t eventryit, asshole.”
Ican’ttry it. I know it’s futile. Without the Wand, I’m nothing. I’m as weak and broken as they are.
The Star stalks toward me, that Sword held high and mighty in her hand. It glows even brighter now, humming in the presence of the other three objects just as my Wand is glowing.
Rage and frustration churn inside me.
“You are an abomination.” With a swift flick of her wrist, the Star brings the Sword to my throat, the tip piercing the skin and drawing blood.
“Giving up on your precious little gingersnap already?” I sneer at her, unable to hold in my disgust another minute. “That’s typical. Then again, you’ve already given up on each other, so why should the red-headed stepchild get special treatment? So go ahead then. Slit my throat.”
She laughs. The woman actually laughs. “Oh, I don’t think so. You see, Sunshine, unlike you and your Dark Arcana fuckstains, we willnevergive up on each other. The fact that you believed our little show today is just further proof you’re not Ani.”
“Oh, but I am him.YourAni is dead and gone. I’m all that’s left.” My words hit the mark, making her wince. A flicker of doubt shines in her eyes.
“Don’t listen to him, Little Bird,” the Devil says, soft and gentle in ways the Devil shouldn’t be. “We’ll get Ani and Cass back, just like we said.”
I wrench my head around and spit in his face, offering one last promise. “All of you will die. That is certain. But I’m going to enjoy watching the Star burn themost.”
“And I’m going to enjoythis.” He flashes a malicious smirk, then launches a fist into my face. “Lights out, Sunshine.”
