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She pulled her shoulders back and proudly blurted, “I have something better for you.”
He paused and asked slowly, “Better than witches? You have access to other magical beings?”
“We had lots of demon fire to raise you but were sabotaged by a faei who rescued them all. There was another being, but I don’t know what he was,” she trailed off in a mumble.
My heart stuttered. She was talking about Daithi and Zaide.
He raised a brow and tapped a finger on his chin as he considered, “Demon fire would be delicious. They are still in this realm?”
Mary’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “It took another week to raise you, but I doubt the faei was able to transport them all to their desired residence.”
“Some of whom may still be trapped here.” He licked his lips, and I gagged. The casual discussion of taking someone's power and life as though he was planning his dinner made me feel sick. “What about this other being? Describe him.”
“He was golden with white hair and purple eyes. Big, tall, strong. Didn’t seem particularly magical.”
“Titan.” He smiled widely. “I once had my hands on what I thought could have been the other half of a titan. She wasn’t a witch, far too powerful a soul for that, but she was unable to use it, despite the tests I threw at her.” He snickered, and my blood boiled.
How dare he laugh. How dare he think himself clever for using my family to destroy me. The evil—
“It’s funny. I thought I saw her, sensed her, when I first awoke.” He stopped, and I prayed to God that he didn’t discover from Mary that I was still alive. I didn’t want myself or my loved ones targeted by this monster again. “You think to spare your witch friends by offering me your enemies?”
I let out a sigh of relief and chided myself for being worried that he would know. It was completely unbelievable.
Mary stepped back shaking her head as Fafnir approached her threateningly. “No, my lord. I have no friends.”
“I can’t allow any sympathetic fools or misguided saviors in my following. There will be deaths, sacrifices, and suffering as my plan unfolds. Ensure you are on the right side.” He stood inches away from her, having backed her into a shelf, and glared down into her face.
She squared her shoulder, determined to prove herself. “I am on the right side, my lord. I know my duty, and it was my pleasure to cut ties with those who would be against you.” From behind her back, she pulled a knife, and I saw red. It was the same knife that killed Winnie. “I even enchanted this knife with the blood of the betrayed to help serve us in the months ahead.”
With my fists clenched and my nails digging into my palms, I watched as Fafnir took the knife and examined it. “It’s a lovely piece. Well made.”
“I commissioned it specially for you,” she announced proudly.
If Charlie were here, I know he’d be saying, “This girl has some serious daddy issues.”
Momentarily distracted, I thought about the two men I’d left in bed and the other man, still a stranger but undoubtedly ours, I’d left in a dream. I hoped they were safe and that they weren’t worried about me. I concentrated on that feeling of love and affection and sent a bubble of it across our bonds so they would feel it and know I was thinking about them.
“The blood of the betrayed for a poisonous blade. Who exactly did you think we would need this for?”
“The protector.”
“It would be satisfying to kill him with this, but so would taking his magic.”
“The poison is slow acting, and the blade has enough magic in it from the enchantment that it would keep him alive while you took his magic.”
“It would be torture.” He threw his head back and laughed long and loudly. I jolted with the abrupt sound and knocked a box behind me. My adrenaline spiked at the fear of discovery, and I curled tighter into a ball. “You’ve done well, my child. If this is what you have done in my honor, I can’t imagine what other treats my descendants will bring.”
Descendants. She’s a descendant of him?
There was a short silence that felt tense and with my curiosity engaged, I peeked my head over the box to watch again. Mary sucked her bottom lip, biting down on it in a nervous gesture.
“You have news of my kin?” he asked with a suspiciously light tone.
“The family is divided,” she mumbled.
“Pardon?” His hand tightened around the hilt of the knife.
Her throat contracted as she swallowed. “I am your loyal follower of the house that belongs to you, that serves you.” She tried to placate him before rushing to finish. “But our house became divided over the last few generations.”
