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“Not sure what you mean,” Ashton says stiffly. “Do what?”
“I don’t recall doing anything with you before,” Emrys says. “Care to refresh my memory?”
“Oh, you didn’tdoanything,” she says and I blink, confused. “You barely noticed me, did you, Emrys? I had barely begun my work when that bitch, Zoey, got in the way and tripped my magic into a huge flare that sent me into a magical coma. At least she helped me return to the Academy. Got my work interrupted, though. I started with Jason back then, but don’t worry, I’ll get to all of you.”
“Ophelia, what are you doing?” I hiss.
She waves a hand at me. “Stay back, poppet. This has nothing to do with you. It’s about me and the boys. Right, guys? It’s about sharing the magic, controlling it, stopping you from becoming the monsters that are lurking inside of you. About channeling it and returning it to the earth.”
The boys glance at each other.
“Can you do that?” Emrys asks.
“Mia can do that,” Sindri all but spits the words. “We don’t need you.”
“I told you, pretty fae boy,” my cousin says, “she’s not a real witch. But I am one, powerful enough to do this properly. I’ll show you such release, such pleasure and such power, unlike anything you’ve ever felt before.”
But it does have to do with me. It has everything to do with me. I watch the boys’ pale faces, their determined if confused eyes, and I know I vowed to hurt them but in fact, all I want is to protect them.
Protect them from what, though? This is my cousin. She won’t do anything to harm anyone, I tell myself.
But whispers weave through my mind, whispers in her voice, weaving spells, and the words are dark and jagged like broken stars. These aren’t benevolent enchantments, and besides, why would she need to enchant them to do whatever it is she is proposing? If she is really doing it for their own good, why won’t she let them choose?
Why won’t she trust them to know the truth? And why did she say that they had nothing to do with her? Didn’t they hurt her? Wasn’t there anything to avenge?
And okay, let’s be honest here. What I really want is to keep them for myself, to be with them. Which is ridiculous, but my heart wishes it so badly. The thought of them being with my cousin is breaking me apart.
I can’t take another step toward her, can’t speak as she weaves her spells, as the boys stare at her. Still. Frozen.
And I can’t help the fear in my heart when she says, “Relax, boys. All four of you are my conduits. You would have come to me, sooner or later. I’m just making sure it’s sooner rather than later because, you see, time is running short, as is my patience. You’re mine.”
