Chapter 39
Rummy
Damn it all.
If things could go as planned for once, that would be really fucking nice.
I bled from somewhere, but I couldn’t feel it. My entire body hissed from the sporadic push of magic. I’d given it everything I possibly could, I’d seen the shock on his face, I’d felt his body seize with surprise as soon as my magic hit him.
What the fuck happened?
I blinked a couple times and tried to swallow down the buzzing in my ears. Was that Cornelius laughing?
No.
It was someone else.
I kept my hands pressed against the shallow wound in my ribs and spun to face the new voice.
It was someone I recognized immediately.
Matthias.
He threw a damn dagger at me.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I took a deep breath and steadied myself. This was wrong. He shouldn’t be here, and he definitely shouldn’t be looking at me like that.
Like he was ready to kill me with his bare hands.
Cornelius—to my fucking surprise—was not dead on the ground before me. He was very much alive. And very much still standing.
“Do you really think I’m that stupid?” Cornelius barked.
Yes.
“What’s going on?” I breathed.
“Of course she does,” Matthias added from behind. “Her and her little group of friends think they’re smarter than all of us. And that’s exactly why they’ll lose everything.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Even as the horror filtered into my words, I started piecing it together. Matthias and Cornelius…
They were working together.
“Were you spying on us?” I asked Matthias. “Have you been with him this whole time?”
A wicked smile crossed his face. “Took you long enough to figure it out. Though, I guess you were too busy fighting with the angel and lying to everyone else to notice.”
Warning bells rang through my bones. I needed more magic. More power. I could kill them both. I had to.
But when I reached for the magic that was supposed to be thriving inside me, I felt nothing.
Only a strange emptiness where Jessiah’s presence had made its home.
“What have you done to me?”
All my life I wanted to be rid of my magic.
Now, I craved it more than I’d craved anything.
Cornelius approached until the toe of his boot brushed my knee. “I gave you a chance to be on my side, Rummy. But it’s clear where your alliances lie. All that power… did you really think you could kill me?” He tossed his head back and laughed. Really laughed. “Me?”
“Did you take my power?” I asked. Gods, I sounded so fucking pathetic. Two seconds ago, I was ready to blast him off this earth. Now I was scrambling on the ground, trying to piece together what just happened.
It wasn’t a good look.
“Not yet, darling.” He bent down until we were ateye level. “I’m simply blocking your ability to use it. But before I kill you, I can assure you that’s exactly what I’ll do.”
Blocking my power? Was that even possible?
My attention was cut off by Jessiah’s stunning white angel wings slicing through the air. He landed on one knee with his fist tight in the dirt before standing with a vengeance.
Jessiah.
His eyes were dark. His posture showed no mercy.
“Jes,” I breathed. “They’re blocking me. I can’t—”
All three men drew swords.
“Ah,” Cornelius tsked. “I should have known you would never leave Rummy’s side. All the things I knew Rummy lied about, but you?” He tilted his head to the side. “You surprised me, angel. And I have to admit, it stings a bit.”
Jessiah ignored them. “You’re stronger than they are, Rummy. He can’t hold your power forever.”
Matthias stepped closer now. I pushed myself up to my feet and stumbled to Jessiah’s side while ignoring the pain in my ribs. Two against two.
But they still didn’t know.
I wasn’t just Rummy. I didn’t have only my power.
“She is strong, yes,” Cornelius agreed. “But I have the magic of hundreds. And I’m not alone.” He looked sideways to Matthias. I didn’t have to open my mouth to fill Jessiah in. The appearance of the standoff was enough.
“You should have left Pericius when you had the chance,” Matthias added. “Unfortunately, now, you’ll both die.”
Jessiah’s outstretched wings partially hid me. I searched and searched and searched for that spark of power, but I felt nothing. Numbness.
Emptiness.
Come back to me. Don’t abandon me now.
“Are you saying Matthias has been stealing magic, too?” Jessiah asked. “I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s struck me as a coward since the very first time we met.”
I could barely see Cornelius, but I heard the smile in his voice as he answered. “He doesn’t need to steal. He’s got a gift of his own that has come in handy.”
“Really?” Jessiah asked. “And what’s that?”
“He can control other beings. Animals, particularly.”
I froze.
Jessiah twisted the sword in his palm.
“You made that animal attack me?” Gods, I was a fucking idiot. I knew it was all too strange when it happened. “You tried to kill me back then, didn’t you?”
“Obviously not,” Matthias answered. “I was only trying to gauge your powers. Though it was a bloody waste of my time, and then we had to hunt down that quack of a healer for you. That woman and her damn riddles. But yes, the animal attack was all me.”
“Don’t sound so proud,” I spat. “Jessiah’s right. You’re nothing but a coward. I’m sure you fit right in under Cornelius’s tight fucking grasp.”
Matthias started toward us, but Cornelius stopped him. “That’s enough. Matthias is right. I gave you the chance to fight by my side, Rummy. You could have been a valuable resource here in Pericius. But you’ve chosen your alliance. Now, you’ll both pay the price.”
Cornelius raised his hands.
And a circle of fire engulfed us.