Page 99 of Mage Massacres

“I have an idea,” Hyde said softly, pushing her way between us. “But I need to see what you saw, Novak. Lo’s mind and Raguel’s.”

He nodded, and I agreed. Whatever she had planned was better than standing around, dumbstruck and confused.

Novak shoved thoughts and images at all of us so fast that my head throbbed.

Torture. Isolation. Captivity. Pain. Defeat.

The man who wore the angel’s face, taunting him about what he was going to do to the Kings—his family.

Raguel with Amelia, Sam, Charlie, and Nate.

The familiarity he felt when Sloane spoke.

Hope and pride filled his current thoughts, not diminished in the slightest as he defended himself. His mind jumped between the present and past, of the woman in front of him to the pink bundle he’d cradled in his arms.

Sloane’s mind was at war, making me recall Arwen’s statement when we were at the bar. Spots of pink appeared, swallowed up by black ink immediately. The only coherent thoughts that we could grasp were muffled words belonging to others.

Palmer telling her about his past.

Lucy’s story about Raguel and the tomes.

Our conversation in the warehouse last week.

On and on until they all blended into one voice, and we were unable to comprehend them.

“That’s enough,” Hyde told the vampire.

“He’s not the same person I’ve known,” Palmer confessed. “But the other man? The way he walked, the cadence of his speech, that’s the man I’ve met.”

I took a deep breath as Novak eased out of our minds, but I observed Sloane closer than before.

“When I say now, I need you to slam Raguel’s memories into Lo’s mind as hard as you can.” Hyde cut her eyes to Novak. “I mean it. She needs to feel it physically.”

The vampire grimaced, but nodded.

“Briggs and Stone? I need you two to grab her, hold her back. Palmer, you’re going to help them. That barrier that you built in Lilk? We need that, but stronger. Fill it with something dark.”

“Smoke?” he questioned.

“As dark and thick as you can make it. Arwen and the twins can help with that while staying inside the observatory. Briggs and Stone need to be outside the barrier, though. The window there is short. That’s where York is going to come in.”

The druid tugged his attention away from our mate to assess the succubus. “I am?”

“Yep. You’ll need to pull them away. You can do that. Vines around their waists or something. Get creative.”

She shook her arms out as she glanced at us. “Stick to your tasks. Do not deviate. And don’t fucking run. I haven’t shifted in a long time, and my basilisk enjoys a chase as much as Lo does. I don’t know that I’ll need her, but I want to cover all the bases.”

We hadn’t known Hyde for more than a few weeks, but we could all tell that this was her element. York had known her for years, and he didn’t bat an eye at her take-charge attitude. The little succubus could command legions without touching her persuasion powers.

If Sloane hadn’t suggested that she help us run the Underworld, then I would have. Right here and now.

“Vaughn,” she snapped. “You’re with me. Get your popsicles ready and watch my back. That’s where Raguel will be.”

I snorted as the fae frowned.

“They’re icicles,” he corrected.

She stopped walking, a smile touching her face for the briefest of moments.