Page 85 of The Bonds of Indigo

A long, tense beat passes before she finally lets go. The whip dissolves into thin air, just as my bow vanishes from my hands.

I exhale hard with relief as Kayn rubs at his neck and turns to her. “Just know that I allowed that to happen.”

“Uh-huh. Sure, big guy.”

Her attention shifts to the man, Rane, as he begins to push himself upright. She hurriedly moves to his side and cups his neck. “You alright?”

He clears his throat and then twists his head back into place. The bone, so close to breaking through the skin that I can see its stark whiteness, snaps back with a sickening, almost too-smooth precision.

“Oh shit.” The words slip out before I can stop them, and all three of them turn toward me. “A Necroth…”

A pit forms in my chest as I hear Vendra making a series of furious grunts and groans. My attention snaps to the girl, who is clearly a Hexborn. The scent hits me fully: mandrake and wolfsbane. Damp soil, bitter roots, a sharp poisonous floral note. I was forced to learn every magical ingredient—not because I needed them for spells, but because I had to understand them.

“My mother always said Yldarwrights were smart. Honestly, never thought I’d meet one.” She dusts off Rane’s shoulder and gives me a half-smile. “Nice moves.”

“Why… do you have a Necroth? That’s against our laws.”

She clicks her tongue. “No, it’s against Vendra’s law. Mundane law is what applies to us Hexborn, and you know that.” There’s no condescension in her tone, but it still grates against me.

“My name’s Yesenia.” She doesn’t ask for mine—she knows better. Instead, she jerks her chin toward the man beside her. “This is Rane, my brother.”

Chapter 23

Ireally hate these fucking things.

As Rane finishes snapping his head back into place, he doesn’t spare me a single glance. His eyes lock directly onto Amarah.

“You’ll have to excuse my accusation, but when he grabbed you, it didn’t look like you two were together.”

I’m pretty sure she squeaks.

“W-We aren’t together. He’s just… he’s like a bodyguard.”

I look down at Amarah—covered in dark blood—and lift a brow.

“A bodyguard, huh? You’d worry like that over a bodyguard?”

“Shut the fuck up, asshole.”

Before I can throw something back at her, I spot Atlas sprinting across the bridge, a swarm of authorities right behind him. Perfect. Just what we need—half the city showing up to stare at a blood-soaked outlaw Witch with a bounty’s worth of shit on her head. Atlas has been watching the channels, and while she isn’t Kairhyse-level infamous, her face is circulating.

“You’re impressive with your Aetherforge,” my little slayer says softly, eyeing the Hexborn. “A whip. I’ve never thought to try one of those.”

Yesenia laughs lightly. “You’re one to talk. I have to stay connected to my conjure or it vanishes. A bow and arrow? Can you fire a bullet? Conjure a gun?”

I look at Amarah, and although I can’t see it, I imagine she’s blushing under all that blood.

“Yeah but I prefer the arrow—far stronger. Bullets are too small to take down anything that matters.”

Atlas finally reaches us, breathing hard, eyes bouncing between the four of us.

“Seems I’ve missed the action yet again.”

“Probably for the best.” I step closer to Amarah and sling my arm over her shoulder. “We’ll be on our way.”

She stiffens instantly and tries to pull away, but I keep her tucked firmly against my side.

“Stop fighting. You’re embarrassing me.”