Page 25 of Bound to Ruin

Right before the stone swallows me whole, Jinx dives forward. Broken and bloody, she transforms one last time into her small cat form to collide against my grisly open chest. The marble entombs us both.

She should’ve killed me. It would’ve been far kinder.

CHAPTER 8

PERIPETEIA BOOKSHOP, HAVENPORT, DELORNIA

LUCAS

I’m rummaging through my pocket for my keys as I take my last right turn to stroll down the block to reach the bookshop. Yelling and crashing interrupt my effort, and I frown when I look up.

My bag of pastries smashes to the ground. Tor’s awful, overly spiced bear claw that she’s obsessed with is ruined, which is a fucked-up thought to have in this moment. People are screaming and shoving past me, my shoulder knocking hard back when someone crashes into it.

The bookshop is in chaos. The green front door is a pile of splinters with smaller books nibbling on the wood like strange bugs. The truck I saw driving past Francesca’s is parked outside, and the small army of Magistrate officers rapidly switch between trying to evacuate the streets and battling errant books. Tor’s golden sign dangles from one hinge, Peripeteia glinting in the morning light before crashing down when a cursed grimoire smashes into it.

This can only mean one thing: Peripetia’s pentagram is broken.

I exhale harshly, panic thrumming in my veins. Tori. Jinx. I break into a sprint, shoving panicked pedestrians out of my way, not caring if I knock them down to the ground. I should’ve known this would happen. I saw Jinx’s flat, boneless body myself. She was clearly in bad shape. A grimoire could’ve taken advantage of her weakness while Tori was out.

Or maybe something happened at Monument Park, and Jinx left to save Tori. I gasp. This is all my fault. Tori told me something was wrong last night, and what did I do? Fucked her and left in the morning.

I’m a stupid fucking idiot. I should’ve stayed. I should’ve gone with her to the park. I should’ve, and I didn’t. All mistakes I can’t change. All I can do is make sure Tori is safe. If she’s not in the shop, then I can use the circle in her loft to travel to Monument Park. It’ll be the fastest and easiest way to find her.

Magic crackles before me, and my rings burn in response. I grit my teeth against the sizzle of my flesh beneath them, and snarl at the officer who dares to block me, “Move!”

The magician glares at me from beneath her bowler hat. A black, singed wand points at my face, and my molars grind. Fuck me sideways, not this bitch. Hobnob or whatever her name is. I left the Guild when she was starting to make a name for herself. Nothing gets Dimitar harder than a fanatic with a high tolerance for pain.

Her officer partner steps up beside her, his thick mustache twitching with a sniff. “Is this Lucas Flint?”

“In the flesh,” I say as the magician nods in confirmation as well. My eyes narrow on her. I’d flip her off if her partner wasn’t staring at me so intensely. Dimitar’s pawns, all of them.

“I am Corporal Jagger. We’re dealing with a very volatile situation at the present⁠—”

“No shit.” A scream echoes as a book launches out of the shadows of the awning to wrap its bindings around a magician’s face. My brows lift. Damn. That must sting.

Jagger clears his throat. “We have some questions for you. I need you to come with us to headquarters.”

My jaw drops. The audacity of these assholes. “Can’t it wait? I’m busy right now.”