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They reappeared close to magic gates somewhere in a forest, and with a quick flick of his wrist, Dawson unlocked the magic suppression on her and it fell from her hand. A breath of magic flowed through her, soothing her aching body.

“We need to—”

She didn’t let him finish his sentence before she focused on the tiny drop of power she had left and coin traveled.

His eyes widened as he jumped toward her. Perhaps because she was so weak or because he was so spheres-forsaken fast, he caught her by her wrist right as she disappeared.

They vanished together and crashed against a grassy hill. Rain poured down, soaking her clothes instantly, but she got up as quickly as she could. She felt the strand of her vengeance spirit clearly in her mind, and she pointed her hand square at Dawson’s chest.

He lifted his hands in defeat. Blood dripped from his nose. Black veins spidered along his neck. He had used too much Dark Magic.

“Forgive me,” he rasped. “It was all a lie. Everything I told Rakkley was a lie.”

But that was the thing with deceit. She could no longer trust his words. Saving her from Rakkley could be another ploy.

In the relentless rain, he fell to his knees, staring at her with pleading eyes.

But vengeance in her spoke with clarity: Show no mercy.

His eyes held hers as Dark Magic pooled in her hand, and he did not move as her spell headed straight for his heart.

42

Aidric Dawson had accepted his fate the moment she had cast the spell. He hadn’t ducked or coin traveled away.

It was the second time she saw genuine shock in his eyes because the spell never hit. It halted right over his heart, hovering there. He swallowed hard.

Her hand shook as tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t kill him. For that, she would have to have his spirit signifier—to shut off all emotions.

“Mira.”

“Don’t you dare say my name.”

“Let me explain, please.”

“I can’t trust your words. Not anymore.” She dropped her hand. Aidric remained motionless as if she still had a deadly weapon trained on him.

“I would have come up with a better plan, but I ran out of time. When I realized you were determined to risk your life facing Corvin, I had to come up with something.”

She turned from him and marched down the hillside, trying to think where she should coin travel to next. Away from him. Away from magic.

With his large stride, he caught up to her easily. He reached for her arm, but she pushed him away.

“Don’t ever touch me again.”

“You don’t have to listen to me, but you cannot be by yourself. Rakkley will send his men after you.”

“I am aware. I can take care of myself. I am no longer your concern.”

“Let me take you somewhere safe and then I can have someone else watch after you. Obryn, perhaps?”

She whirled around, and he stopped in his tracks. “What was the plan? Walk me through it because I don’t understand.”

He blew out a breath. “I knew Rakkley would do everything in his power to get to you. So I made him a deal, thinking it would buy us time. I had no idea how soon you were going through with your plan to destroy the amulet. I thought I’d have weeks.”

“How did you know I had destroyed it?”

“I felt it. So did Rakkley. Perhaps because of the leftover magic from Mercer, but I’m not sure. I haven’t had time to talk with Obryn about it yet.”