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“You’re welcome,” Siobhan says.
“What does the Queen say?” I ask Dugald. Dugald shrugs, shakes his head, then turns his back and walks away to the far wall. The room is stifling hot and I’m sweating. “I don’t have time for the drama. Duncan is trapped, and I have to find him.”
“You may not be able to,” Moira says.
“That isnotan option,” I snap. “I won’t lose him.”
“Quinn, we’ve all lost—”
“No,” I cut her off before she can finish the thought. “There is no comparison. No one-upmanship. Everyone has lost people, I get it, but I’m not playing that game. I am going to save him. Somehow.”
“You’re going to fail,” Dugald says darkly.
“And what does that mean?” I ask.
“It means you won’t succeed,” Siobhan says. “Seriously, this is the Destroyer? Can we do better next time around?”
Magic surges along with my anger before a rational thought can stop it. As the energy flows in it feels oily, dirty and wrong, but so good too. It’s like taking that one more drink you know is too many, but it feels so good going down, no matter how much you know you’re going to regret it in the morning.
My skin tingles as a sense of euphoria washes away fear, stress, and worry. Power crackles in my thoughts and it’s mine. I own this. It is my right.
“Quinn, don’t—” Moira says, reaching a hand towards me.
Siobhan senses the change in the room and swings her legs around, moving to a sitting position. I motion towards Moira, stopping her in her tracks, while with my other hand I reach towards Siobhan. Black and purple lightning crackles down my arm and then blasts towards her.
The throne explodes. Gold filigreed wooden shards bombard the room, but Siobhan is not there. She’s fast, I’ll give her that, but fast isn’t going to keep the vampire alive. I’m done with her.
Kill her. She’s defied me for the last time.
“Quinn, no,” Moira yells, but I hold her easily in place, keeping her from stopping what I know needs to be done.
“Yes, Quinn, stop,” Siobhan says, her voice coming from behind.
I whip around, trying to catch her, but all I see is a blur of red as she moves again.
“Hold still, I’ll show you stop,” I growl. “I’ve had enough of your mouth.”
“Quinn.” Dugald doesn’t raise his voice, but it cuts through the pulsing hate and anger in my head. “This isn’t you.”
“What do you know?” I scream, all my attention on him now. I rush across the room, grabbing the front of his shirt and slamming him into the wall. “You let this happen and then you stopped me from going after him. I could have saved him already if it wasn’t for you!”
“No, you couldn’t,” Dugald says, a trickle of blood trailing from the corner of his lip. He doesn’t fight or resist. I shake him like a rag doll, and he takes it. When I stop, he’s looking into my eyes with a depth of sadness that mirrors what I’m feeling. “I’m sorry, Quinn. Truly.”
“You shouldn’t have stopped me,” I shout.
“You would have died,” he says.
“I would have saved him first.”
“No. And you know it. You’re angry. You’re hurt, but this isn’t going to save Duncan.”
I drop him to the ground. He wipes his sleeve over his mouth, clearing the blood away. I stare at him shaking. Dark thoughts are pulsing in my head, but he’s right. This isn’t me. Magic drains away and I’m left empty, feeling dirty, oily, and desperate for a shower.
“She broke my chair,” Siobhan sighs. “I really liked that chair.”
“Enough, Siobhan,” Moira says. “We need to talk, form a plan, and act. If we’re done with the excitement?”
“I’m done,” I say. “With all of you. Especially her.” I point at Siobhan.
