Page 70 of Witch’s Heart

He was still fucking shocked—shocked that Lola and Julian were working with Trudy Holland of all people. Not just that, his chest ached. He hadn’t expected the betrayal. Frankly, it hurt. He’d gotten to know Julian, had believed him to be a decent male.

“Come to me,” Mina ordered, looking into the darkened corner of the room. Weiss gave a cry of fear. A Tharn stepped forward. Ah. So that’s how she’d managed all alone. He shouldn’t have been surprised.

Earlier that evening, she’d informed him that she had matters to attend to alone. That it would keep her up late. It had been on the tip of his tongue to question her, but he’d seen the need in her gaze, the desire to do this alone—for him. He knew it had everything to do with the pardon she’d shredded in his study that afternoon. Given that he had plenty of work on his plate, he’d hardly questioned her. It must have been the soothing way she’d tackled his need for control, because when she’d asked him to trust her, he’d simply agreed.

“See this demon? It follows my every command,” Mina purred, stalking closer to Julian. “So, I’m going to ask questions, and you’re going to provide answers.”

Julian’s jaw clenched.

“Are there other witches in Mya’s cohort working with you?” She waited for a beat. When it was clear that he wouldn’t answer, she turned to the Trong. “Take a finger—just one.” The demon rushed forward, eager. Julian screamed as it took its first prize.

Rixon watched with sick fascination as Mina continued down this path of questioning. He knew she’d used a demon to question Weiss, too, though she’d healed him after each mauling. It should have made his insides squirm to see her resort to such measures, but he was king now, and didn’t have the luxury for mercy where traitors were concerned.

“Who else is working with you?!” Mina demanded. The demon took another finger, and another, alternating hands.

“I’m going to ask you one more time, and then it will take your eyes. Who else is working with you?”

Julian didn’t answer, though he did scream as the demon used a long finger to scoop out one, and then the other eyeball. Julian would have fallen to the floor had Mina’s magic not held him in place. She looked less human than ever, black hair flaring around her, eyes possessed as she worked. Little by little, she chipped away at Julian but he never once broke.

“Enough, Lady Witch.” Rixon’s voice was rough as he spoke. “End it. You’ll get nothing from him.”

He had to respect the way the male held out, though he knew why Mina had gone to such extremes. They could not afford to allow something like this to happen again. If any of Mya’s other witches were working with Skye in secret, it could ruin everything.

Mina turned to him, that otherworldly gaze meeting his. “End it,” he said again.

She seemed to come back to herself a little. Turning to the Tharn she said, “Take your meal to the corner.” It was all too happy to pull Julian into the shadows. The male’s screams died abruptly, cutting off into a series of gurgles before he fell completely silent.

Weiss looked at them in horror.

He felt the ties of the bond dissipate and moved into the room. It smelled heavy with blood and demon carcasses and excrement. He stepped over Lola’s prone figure as he went to his witch, stroking a hand down the back of her hair. He needed to touch her, if only to reassure himself that she was real.

“You must think me a monster,” she whispered, sounding dazed.

“If you are a monster, then you are my monster. I love you no less for it.”

A derisive laugh burst from her chest, eyes cast to the bodies on the ground. “It was Trudy all along.”

“Explain.”

“I heard voices in the hallway today, near the high tower. I didn’t know who they belonged to because they were whispering. A male and female. It could have been Trudy’s father or her brother. I’m not certain. They were talking about the risk of her behavior affecting the family.”

“I’ll have both males arrested.” He took a step back but she reached out, catching his wrist and squeezing.

“No.”

“Let me guess, another plan?” He eyed her warily.

“Something like that.”

He exhaled. “Trudy is dead. Her father will find out sooner or later. If he’s guilty, I want him apprehended.”

“He won’t find out. Not if we play this right.”

“How do you mean?”

“Trudy told whoever it was that she planned to free Weiss and flee the city. For all the male knows, she’s already gone.”

He rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. “So, you’re saying we destroy the evidence and make it look like she got out. Like they all got out, even Lola and Julian.”