But there’s something else mixed in with the outrage. Something I don’t want to examine too closely.
Smug pleasure.
I’m pleased that Dis is looking at this tall and attractive, grinning himbo with disdain.
What is wrong with me?
But suddenly there is no more time for questions, because the blindfold slips. In slow motion. The fabric slides down. The himbo’s hands come up too late to catch it. His eyes open.
And he sees Dis.
He screams.
Not a startled yelp. Not a surprised shout. A full-throated, lung-emptying, wake-the-dead scream of absolute terror.
Then he thrashes. Arms flailing. Legs kicking. He crashes into Dis and bounces off like Dis is made of solid stone.
Which he might be. I have no idea what shadow being flesh actually feels like.
The screaming doesn’t stop. If anything, it gets louder.
The entire building can probably hear this. The neighbours down the street can definitely hear this. Everyone within a three-block radius can hear this.
“Do something!” I hiss at Dis.
“Such as?” Dis asks calmly, stepping away from the thrashing, screaming himbo with the kind of grace that suggests he’s dodging hysterical humans regularly.
“I don’t know! Make him stop!”
“He is in your circle, Little Witch. This is your problem.”
“He’s here for you!”
The himbo crashes into the invisible barrier and bounces back. His screaming takes on a new note. Pure panic now. The kind that comes from being trapped with no way out.
“Wipe his mind,” Dis suggests.
I stare at him. “What?”
“His memory. Remove it. Quickly, before he draws unwanted attention.”
“I don’t know how to do that!”
“Then he will continue screaming until someone investigates. Someone might call the human who owns this building. That human might ask his fiancé to check on you. “
Damn it. He’s right.
The himbo is still screaming. Still thrashing. I can hear footsteps on the stairs. Someone is coming.
“Why do you even care?” I snap.
Something flickers across Dis’s face. Something that might be shame or might be fury.
“I do not wish to be found like this,” he says quietly. “The shame would be too great.”
There’s something raw in his voice. Something that sounds almost vulnerable.
Dis, the ancient shadow king who overthrew Hex’s father and ruled the Shadow Realm with absolute power, does not want to be discovered trapped and powerless and reduced to having screaming himbos thrown at him.
