Just because I was chasing Dora, didn’t mean someone wasn’t chasing me. Shouting out, “it’s me, Charlie, your sister,” could break the glamour—and then my vampire stalker would be on me and ripping out my throat in a moment.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I tried instead. “I’m a friend, so please, let me help—”
Dora veered sharply right into a branching hall and climbed the staircase, taking the steps two at a time.
Gritting my teeth, I stopped my bellowing and picked up the pace—charging up the stairs after her.It’s okay, sis. I’m here now. I’m bringing you home.
Bang!
The sound of a door swinging into stone echoed through the narrow, winding staircase. I caught a glimpse of Dora’s foot before she jumped over the threshold and into the rush of hot, burning air.
“Dora!” I hit the top step and leaped through the door, skidding to a halt. “Dora?”
Whipping around, I spun on my heels—making sense of my surroundings. I was on the roof—
No, a tower,I thought, recalling the sweeping black turrets that dominated my view the first time I set foot onto Abaddon Academy grounds.This is the east tower—
My heart stopped.
—and I’m the only one here.
“Dora,” I screamed, racing to the edge.Where did she go? Where could she have gone? Did she jump? Oh, Hera, please, tell me she didn’t jump!“Dora!”
“What the fuck’s a Dora?”
I spun around.
Iarla Ravenscar stepped onto the floor, resplendent in white-and-gold robes and jeweled boots. Every inch of him was perfection from his long, gold-spun locks to his piercing eyes. Everything was perfect... except for the nastiest smirk on a human-like face that I’d ever seen in my life.
“What’s going on?” My voice was thin and reedy from screaming. “What are you doing here?”
“What? You can’t guess, you ignorant little worm?”
My jaw clenched. Yeah, this guy was still the most unpleasant dude I’d ever met.
“Then, how about I give you a hint?” Ravenscar turned around and picked up something obscured behind the door.
I gasped, clutching my mouth to stop a scream.
Ravenscar held up the cage—proud like he was presenting a trophy to a parent. Inside, the sweet imp who pranked us and wanted to play with me... was reduced to a bloody, battered lump.
The poor creature couldn’t even hold up his head, he was so badly beaten. He still didn’t speak, but he didn’t have to for me to know that the small, weak noises coming from him were sobs.
“See?” He laughed right in my face. “You’re not the only one around here who can tame an imp.”
“Are you insane!” I screamed. “What did you do to him?! He’s harmless. He only wanted to play!”
“Play?” Iarla’s smirk vanished fast. “You call burying me under a mountain of shit playing?!”
“He only did that because you’re anass!” I’d never exploded on someone like this before. Not even when Lucifer stood in my kitchen taunting me did I feel this much rage. First Dora, and now this sweet little creature? It was just too much. “You know what? You’re the fucking diseased worm, you shit fucking fuck!” I screeched, shredding my no-cursing rule to pieces. “You’re batshit fucking insane crazy, the imp was only dumping more shit on you so that you could stuff it into your empty skull!”
Iarla whistled, laughing away. “Uh-oh. Someone’s mad. Whatever this little beast showed you to get you up here must’ve really set you off.”
I stumbled back, bashing against the edge. “What?” I croaked. “What did you say?”
“It was an illusion, dumbass. Duh.” I cried out when he flung the cage none-too-gently on the floor. “Fae need an object important to the target to create an illusion specific to them, but I searched your shithole of a room and everything you own is brand new.” He kicked the cage.
“Stop it!”
