Page 82 of Of Magic and Murder

“Go fuck yourself,” he grates out.

“What a naughty pup. You’re not talking to the future queen of Avalon like that, are you?” Delilah tsks and raises the lodestone. “Someone needs to teach you some manners.”

Another burst of green shoots out of the lodestone, hitting him even lower this time. As I watch in horror, the neon green magic forms a length of chains, wrapping around Riordan, dragging him down until he’s genuflecting in front of Delilah.

His claws dig into the dirt as he tries to use brute force to break the curse that Delilah placed on him. It doesn’t work. Not only do the chains keep him flat on his belly, but when I rush over to him to check if he’s okay, I see that his mouth is moving but no words are coming out.

That witch! She stole his dignity and his voice, and she’s still not done.

Delilah lifts the lodestone. This time, there’s no way for Riordan to stop me. Besides, after all he’s done to protect me from the monster killing witches in Moonburrow, it’s my chance to return the favor.

It’s so clear now. I love him. I already knew I did, but with love comes clarity that there isn’t anything I won’t do to save Riordan from this psychotic witch. And it just might be that I’m thinking clearly for the first time in a long time, but I’m not overthinking. I’m also seeing what’s right in front of me instead of pretending I don’t, instead of blaming the obvious answer—that there was a tie between Riordan and me because we’re fated mates, not because of a spell gone wrong—I finally tap into my full abilities as a seer witch and look.

And you know what I see?

When I first saw the lodestone, it didn’t have a magical color. It was shimmering and wavy, the promise of everything you can accomplish with such an artifact, but now?

I see green. Pure neon green pouring off of the lodestone.

Curse magic.

There’s so much of it that I don’t know how I missed it before. Maybe because I wasn’t focusing on the lodestone. Or because Delilah was hiding it beneath her illusions. Honestly, it’s probably because I’ve spent my entire life thinking of lodestones as amplifiers like Morrigaine’s mirror and an immense source of power.

But, above all, I’m a cursebreaker. Finally, I know what I’m looking at.

“I think I understand.”

Delilah’s attention snaps to me. “What’s that, Penelope?”

“Lodestones aren’t just anchors. Deep down, they’re also source for curse magic, like never-ending batteries for dark witches.” I give my head a shake that’s pure disbelief. “No wonder they get buried and forgotten. They’re pure dark magic after you ‘activate’ them, aren’t they?”

“In the right hands.” Her smile returns. “Very good. See? This is why I would’ve much preferred you to be one of my witches instead of one of the lodestone’s sacrifices. But we follow the paths we’re on, and this is what has to happen for both of us. I’m sure you understand that.”

I understand that Delilah is insane. And that Riordan is in danger.

And that the lodestone might not have always been corrupted, but if Delilah has been sacrificing witches and feeding it blood, there’s nothing else it can be.

Facing off against Delilah, I spare a moment to look at Riordan.

She makes a small noise in the back of her throat. “I wouldn’t think about unraveling his curse, Penelope. I’m sure you’ll find it much easier. After all, the curse the Beta was under became near-unbreakable after he spent a decade-and-a-half living on top of land that hosted a lodestone. By then, only a mate bond could replace it, but if you love him… I’ll let him go if you come here and do what I say.”

I don’t need an alpha’s ability to detect a lie to know that she’s full of shit. If she kills me, Riordan will hunt her to the ends of the Earth to make her pay. She would be in danger so long as he was alive so of course she’d kill him. Considering her plan was to blame the wolves for her witches’ murders, then use the widening chasm that was growing between shifters and witches in Moonburrow to get rid of them all and keep Moonburrow—as Avalon, I’m betting—for spellcasters, she might kill every wolf in town.

Though, if she is telling the truth about the echoes of the lodestone being the reason why I couldn’t use my abilities to break his curse… that does make sense. Especially if this lodestone is oozing curse magic. It might even be strengthening the new curses that Delilah placed on him right now.

She’s right. Another backward glance at Riordan and I can see exactly which chain to tug on to break the second curse. What thread to yank to erase the first. But as long as she has the lodestone, she can curse him again and again just to fuck with me.

As long as she has the lodestone.

At that moment, I don’t think.

For once in my life, I don’t wonder which spell will work. I don’t worry about what might happen if I get it wrong. I don’t second-guess myself until my magic decides that if I expect a disaster, it might as well give me one.

I look at the lodestone.

I want it.

Want something, Pen, and let yourself have it.