Damien Sinclair’s eyes widened as fear shimmered there.
Opening herself to the power flowing through her, Cynthia ignored the strain stretching her skin tight and squeezing her chest in a painful grip. ‘I set my powers free.’
Lightning streaked across the sky.
‘Goddess, grant to me the magic that is mine by right. I set my powers free.’
Thunder cracked as rain crashed on the glass ceiling above them.
In a rush of heat and light, her world reawakened.
Power infused her as she refocused on her captors. She raised an eyebrow and lifted them higher.
‘You will pay for what you’ve done to my woman, Damien Sinclair.’ Damn him for hurting Helena. For caging Hamlet. For being the very Devil. ‘Nothing will save you from your fate.’
Sinclair bared his teeth in a fierce grin, forcing his fear behind thick shields. ‘If my neck stretches, then you and your lover will burn on a pyre next to the scaffolds where I swing. I ’ave pictures of your witchcraft, Lady Burrows. I will use them.’
‘Lady Burrows was never real. You can’t destroy her, because I already have. You killed my husband. You’ve kidnapped an innocent woman and caged my fox.Nothingyou do will stop me from holding you accountable.’
His laugh was acid on ice. ‘You still think I killed your ’usband? Fool! I didn’t kill ’ubert Burrows.’ He strode closer, but Cynthia refused to give her ground. ‘I would ’ave savoured killing your syphilis-ridden bastard of an ’usband. But someone stole that pleasure from me.’ His dark eyes flashed.
‘Liar.’
‘I wondered ’ow long it would take Mrs ’iggins to crack.’
Cynthia sucked in a breath. The numbness began in her fingers and toes, creeping over her limbs like frost.
Not Mrs Higgins.
Sinclair nodded. His cruel smile widened as his finger tightened on the trigger. ‘That’s right, Lady Burrows. I was there the night ’e died. Mrs ’iggins got to him before Lippert or I could – a real pity. Ironic, really. Two men intent on destroying ’im, and in the end, a woman took care of it far more efficiently.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
Cynthia couldn’t see auras, but she would guess Sinclair’s fairly pulsed with black rage.
‘She found your ’usband abusing another maid, ’is ’and around the girl’s neck this time. Mrs ’iggins ’ad the strength to do what you never could. To destroy a monster before ’e claimed another victim.’
Nausea crawled up her throat. Because she could see the scene in blinding detail. Sinclair might be a criminal, but he wasn’t lying.
‘She used ’is own letter opener, but the only man responsible for ’is death is your ’usband. ’e deserved far worse than such a quick end.’
‘If she really killed him, why didn’t you tell Superintendent MacDougal the first time he brought you in for questioning?’
‘Mrs ’iggins is from Seven Dials. I wouldn’t betray one of my own. Especially for ridding the world of a man like ’ubert Burrows.’
‘So, why tell me now?’
Sinclair lifted his brow. ‘Because I want to know what you’ll do now you know the truth.’
She’ll hang for this. She doesn’t deserve to hang for him.
Discovering Hubert’s killer was supposed to come with a swell of pride. Justice finally achieved. But punishing Mrs Higgins for protecting the girls in her care wasn’t justice. It wasn’t anything close.
The fight drained from her.
Cynthia’s arms dropped.
The men came crashing to the floor.
