Darius followed me. After years of eating and sleeping well, he’d grown muscles and turned from lanky to well built. His powers had also burst. He could perform many spells—not sure how many—show incredible strength, and conjure protective shields that not even bullets could penetrate. He was a constant surprise.
If there was one person in the Dark Court who could kill me, it was him.
Myrtha’s white glow gave her away from a distance.
“Myrtha!” The pounding of my boots thundered in the wide hallway.
An odd tug pulled at my chest, but I ignored it.
She jutted out her chin, standing in front of a door. “There’s no need to shout, Ravenhill. Or to be here for that matter.”
“You brought another girl here against my specific orders!”
“I didn’t ignore you. I haven’t brought any girls since you so kindly ordered me not to.” Her voice quivered. “But you must understand. This case is special.”
“I was clear.”
“You were. But…this is what I do. I make wilis.”
“Your wilis are weak, dropping like flies.”
“This time is different. I feel stronger. My energy is growing.” She was flustered. I’d struck a nerve.
Myrtha, mighty queen of the wilis, was losing her power. As of late, her new wilis had died in a matter of weeks in agony. Just a few of them, the oldest ones, endured.
But she was a stubborn woman. “Her betrothed attacked her, beat her, and killed her father, leaving her for dead. He also stole her family’s money, killed the servants, and set her house on fire.”
“Tragic, but not our problem.”
Darius frowned at me in disapproval. “Myrtha, please?—”
“Don’t you use that tone with me.” She jabbed a finger at Darius.
“I wasn’t using any tone.” Darius scowled.
She shifted her weight from one foot to another. “Well, yes, what do you want to say?”
He held up a hand. “We’re worried about this young woman. Just that.”
Her dark eyes flashed white. “Her anger summoned me, so intense it was. She essentially begged me. She wants revenge, and I must grant it to her.”
“And she has all my sympathy, but we can’t have another dying wili.” I glanced at the door as a delicious smell wafted through. It couldn’t be… “Let her go.”
“No!” White light glowed around her. “I do not kill women. Never.”
“The poor woman is half dead already.” Darius lifted a shoulder. “All you have to do is let her die in peace. It’ll be more merciful than prolonging her agony, only to see her die in pain in a few weeks.”
“I’ll be more careful. She’ll be stronger. She won’t die like the others.” Myrtha’s shoulders shook.
“Like hell she will.” Guided by the damn tug in my chest, I brushed past her and flung the door open.
She chased me. Her power worked exclusively on living men. Even if she attacked me, she wouldn’t cause as much as my nose to bleed. Besides, she and her wilis killed men who had betrayed a woman. I hadn’t fallen that low yet.
She scowled. “You’re a brute!”
“A brute? Is that the best you can do? I’ve been called worse—” I skidded to a stop close to the bed.
My heart jumped to my throat and then dipped to my stomach.
