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“Revenge?” I managed to ask, holding his line of vision as I wiggled my fingers and attempted to unravel the ropes on my wrists.
“She’s trying to work magic.” Morgan rushed forward and whacked me across the top of the head as I cried out. “Cease struggling,Cassandra, or I’ll decapitate you and drop your head on the front doorstep of Howe manor.”
Bitch.My head throbbed as my eyes closed briefly and I felt Roman release the hold on my neck.
“I said not to touch her!” he shouted, slapping Morgan across the face as she faltered. “She’smine, Morgan.”
Morgan hissed as she stood, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth as she sneered in contempt. “As you wish.”
Roman picked up two bowls from the ground that held crimson liquid.My blood.He dipped a finger into one of the bowls and marked my forehead with a symbol I couldn’t see and then proceeded to mark my stomach, arms, and legs as he ripped my clothing apart to expose my skin. The two bowls were set on the ground opposite one another at my head and feet.
Lifting his arms, he began to chant as Morgan joined him. Their voices rose into the air as pain lanced across my brain and settled into every organ in my body. The agony tore and ripped at my composure as screams launched in quick succession from my throat. My voice cracked as my vocal cords became raw. I fought against the binding of the ropes and the strong weaving of Roman’s spell.
“Kayde,” I croaked, knowing he was the only one who could stop this ritual. His anti-magical abilities were probably the only thing that could save me now.
MyCosanmust be blocked. There was no way they would allow this torment and torture to continue. Could they hear me? Did they sense the rogue witch and the evil presence that clung to his body like a demonic shadow?
The chanting increased as I closed my eyes, certain my death was near.
“Cassandra . . .”
The disembodied voice was reminiscent of my mother.
“Fight, sweetheart. The ancestors are with you.”
Pulling from my reserves, I began to draw on every ounce of available strength I could find from deep within. At first, there was nothing and I nearly gave up. After a moment, I could sense the slow but deliberate replenishment of my energy and inhaled a deep breath as the pain began to recede.
“Something is wrong, Roman.”
“Shut up! Keep chanting!”
Pulling and sucking the waves of energy and power into my body, I finally had enough to break free. The ropes snapped and broke simultaneously as I sat up and pierced the two witches with my vengeful stare. “Damned and broken, fate will heal, burn and destroy my enemy with zeal.”
My finger pointed at Morgan as she lit up like a firecracker on the fourth of July. Her body ignited in orange and crimson flames as she flapped about wildly, screaming in terror. Roman stepped back and observed with a wicked grin. He never intervened or tried to save her. Morgan’s skin darkened to ash as she fell to the ground and oozed bubbling blood from her crispy frame. Singed and destroyed, she would no longer inflict torment on another living soul.
Sinister laughter caught me by surprise as I turned to the rogue witch whose eyes glowed with a feral delight. “You are so much more than I hoped.”
Unable to discern his meaning, it didn’t occur to me that Roman would attack again so quickly. With a swipe of his hand my throat was slit, blood trickling down my neck in a crimson waterfall.
“So beautiful, sweet Cassandra. Until we meet again, my darling nemesis.”
He disappeared as I fell to my knees, my hands clutching at the skin of my neck and the severed nerves and arteries. My system was shocked, my brain frantic to find help. I could hear myCosanbut knew they were too far away from my location to make it in time. My plan had failed. Roman English was far more cunning than I first realized.
A mournful howl pierced the air as I clawed my way forward, the moon hanging low in the sky as I collapsed, the blood loss and trauma so severe I doubted I would ever open my eyes again.
