Chapter 23
Mina
Somewhere down the hall, a muffled click sounded.
I set my journal aside and used my magic to extinguish the single candle burning beside me, plunging my surroundings into darkness.
While I could see perfectly in the dark thanks to my demon abilities, it felt strange sketching in a pitch black cell.
My back was flush to the stone wall. Already, my rump ached from sitting for so many hours on end.
I strained my ears, listening. Moments later, I was rewarded with the quiet sound of footsteps.
Adrenaline shot through me. Calming my breaths, I slowly came to my feet.
My cell door was open just a crack. Next door, I had Reginald Weiss bound and gagged, anchored to the wall in one of the palace dungeon’s torture chambers.
I’d spent several hours earlier that afternoon setting everything up.
There came a loud click—the sound of Weiss’s cell door opening. I moved to the opening of my own, peering out through the slit. I caught movement just as a cloaked figure slipped into Weiss’s room. Otherwise, the shadowy corridor was empty.
I frowned. Whoever this was, they couldn’t possibly be acting alone. Perhaps their accomplices were keeping an eye out down the corridor. I’d made it easy for them, dosing both guards with a sleeping sedative that would make them look less threatening.
Whispers sounded as I quickly followed the cloaked figure into the cell.
It was the largest in the palace dungeons, conveniently so.
It was nearly pitch black, a single candle burning near Weiss.
Blackened shadows gaped with open maws, many cast by the various torture devices, some shoved against the walls.
Weiss pulled against his restraints, his eyes wide and frantic. They flicked towards me briefly, the whites visible. He tried to speak, garbled, unintelligible words falling from his mouth. Words of warning for his rescuer, but it was too late.
“There now, I’m here. Everything is going to be all right,” said the voice from beneath the cloak, trying to sooth him.
I barked a laugh. “Trudy?! Trudy Holland?”
The figure sucked in a breath and whipped around, dislodging the hood of their cloak. Fiery red hair was the first thing I saw before Trudy’s face was visible. Her expression morphed into fury. “You!” she hissed.
I lifted my dagger, lazily examining the tip. “You seem surprised.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you that.” I studied her, wondering what she had under her cloak. A weapon, perhaps? “So, you’re the one who tried to have Rixon killed. I guess it makes sense after he humiliated you.”
She stepped back and lifted her chin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t play dumb. I heard you earlier. Was it your father you were speaking to, or your brother?”
“You’re mistaken.”
“Oh?” Gods, I couldn’t stand her. I crossed my arms, studying her.
All this time, and it had been Trudy fucking Holland trying to have Rixon killed.
“So…I imagined your words in the hallway? That you hired Santos to oversee the king’s death?
That you planned to free Weiss tonight? To flee the city? ”
“Why would I do something so reckless?”
I stifled a chuckle, my shoulders relaxing. “You’re here, aren’t you?”
“So?” she said, a look of defiance settling over her features. “I was just…I was just checking on him. The king refused my request to have him freed and I wanted to make sure he was okay.”
“Yes, because I asked him to. All I had to do was spread my legs and he willingly granted my wishes.”
“Whore,” she hissed.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” I snorted. “You never could have satisfied him in bed—the depraved things he likes to do. I am a whore for him.”
“You’re disgusting.”
I shook my head, looking at her—really looking at her. Trudy fucking Holland. I should have seen it.
My mistake.
I blew out a breath. “I did warn Rixon not to underestimate you. I suppose I shouldn’t have, either. All this time and you were nothing more than a filthy traitor.”
“You don’t have proof.”
“You being here is proof enough.” I moved farther into the room, contemplating my next move.
I could easily subdue her, then take her into custody, but part of me was enjoying myself.
“I can’t believe Maddox wanted to marry you to his son.
What was your plan, then? Marry Rixon and then poison him?
Slit his throat while he slept? As if he’d ever share a bed with you. ”
“Fuck you,” she hissed.
“Rixon does. Every night. Multiple times a night.” I grinned, taking another step forward. Her eyes darted over my shoulder. It was the only warning I received before the cold edge of a blade was at my throat. I froze, cursing myself as I tunneled into my well of magic, ready to—
“Use your magic and I’ll slit your throat.”
I froze releasing the power that was desperate to burst forth. It couldn’t be. How…?
“Lola?!” I hissed.
A low laugh. “Surprised?”
“Yes. Super fucking surprised.” I huffed, angry with myself for my failure. “I suppose the quiet ones are the ones who surprise you.”
Her blade pressed more firmly against my throat as Julian crept around me, taking in the state of the situation. He went to Trudy and murmured, asking her if she was all right. Her shoulders straightened and she gave a brief nod.
“So, you’ve been working together,” I said. “I should have known that not all of Mya’s witches were loyal to us.” Something in my gut twisted. The betrayal hurt. My thoughts went to Anne and Elianna. Could they be…?
No, they’d fled the Citadel with me. They were loyal to me—they had to be. Regardless, I couldn’t worry about that right now.
Weiss chose that moment to make more loud cries of warning, muffled through his gag. Unfortunately for him, he went largely ignored.
“Yes, looks like you figured it all out. Not that you would have, had Miss Holland headed my advice. I told you this was a foolish mission, Trudy. Now, let’s get him and get out.”
“You think I’ll let you walk out of here?” I scoffed.
“You will, because I have a blade to your throat.” Lola’s voice was a low snarl beside my ear. I understood the precariousness of the situation. I might be a witch, but if she dragged the blade deep enough to slit my throat, I would die. We weren’t immune to everything, after all.
“Just kill her and be done with it, Lo.” Julian eyed the both of us. “We don’t have time for this.”
I barked a laugh. “Kill me, and I’ll bring this entire dungeon down around us. I’ll crush you.”
“Threats,” Lola hissed, the blade biting into my skin. I felt a thin trickle of blood where it began to cut me. “Then again, given what you are, you’d probably survive a cave-in. With whatever demon filth is lurking inside of you. Such a disgrace. A scourge on witch-kind.”
Her words made the back of my throat burn. Still, I said, “You’re the scourge. Let me guess, you’re working with Skye?” Lola made a humming sound. “Why the fuck would you align yourself with a witch-killer.”
“Skye did what she had to do, to bring witches the glory we deserve.”
“Sounds like your loyalty came cheap.”
“She never needed to buy anything from me.” Lola’s angry cry filled my ear.
“She and I have been all but sisters for decades. The only reason I’m here is because I agreed to infiltrate Mya’s little cohort.
I can’t wait to be free of this fucking city.
Reunited with her, as she carves a rightful place for us. ”
“And what place would that be?” I demanded. “Sitting on the fucking throne?”
“Enough stalling, Lo,” Julian growled, looking between us. Weiss continued to cry his warning. “Cut her throat and be done.”
“Actually, that’s not going to happen,” I said, taking a deep breath. I was done with them. “Now!” I commanded.
The shadows came alive as three snarls of glee erupted, destroying the silence.
The cell descended into chaos. Two Tharns and an Akonn leapt from the shadows at my command.
The blade disappeared from my throat as Lola cried out in shock, rushing to subdue all three.
It was witch instinct, after all. Demons loved witch blood and mine was too contaminated to be a distraction while she was in the room.
She pulled on her magic as Julian whirled around with his blade drawn, eyes wide with shock.
I freed my dual blades from my back, fists clenched on their grips to ground me.
With a single, fluid lunge, I plunged one through Lola’s heart.
It cleaved through skin and sinew. Her eyes widened with shock and betrayal, settling on me before she coughed up blood and they glassed over.
Her hold on the demons disintegrated. I ripped my blade free and spun.
Trudy was on the ground, her insides ripped open as Julian beheaded the Trong feasting upon her.
The Akonn was already dead on the floor.
Julian, not realizing that his witch was no longer functioning, met the remaining Trong head on.
It darted back and forth, evading his blade as torture equipment crashed around them.
“Enough,” I hissed, “Stand down. Retreat,” I ordered it.
It complied immediately, fading into the shadows, back where it had originally been hiding.
Julain spun, eyes wide. The moment his gaze landed on his fallen witch, he roared, then lunged.
I lifted my blades, meeting him with a reverberation of metal, pressing him back.
“You killed her,” he cried. “I’ll fucking destroy you.”
“Will you?” I let him press the advantage, backing up several steps. “I’m a witch, after all. I have magic. I could have already snared you and run you through.”
I hoped that he didn’t know about my skill, or that Herrin had trained me for years. It was possible that Ronan and Viktor might have mentioned it. I hoped they hadn’t.
“Well, you didn’t, so why don’t you fight me like a real opponent instead of hiding behind your tainted magic.”
“Hmm…tempting.” I pretended to think it over. “All right. No magic, just blades.”
There was nothing but pure hatred in his gaze.
I wasn’t sure what his witch had been to him.
A friend, a lover? Part of me hated what I’d had to do.
Breaking a bond with death wasn’t a light matter, but they’d betrayed us and had been lying all along.
I hated to think what might have happened if one of Trudy’s assassination attempts succeeded.
“Mya placed Rixon under your care,” I said, circling. “I bet you would have let him die.”
“We considered it,” he grunted, then lunged. I deflected his blade. “It was certainly a convenience. Then you returned, and we were forced to be more cautious.”
“And what of Mya’s other witches? Who else was working with you.”
“Like I’ll tell you anything.”
“I can make you.”
“I’ll cut out my own tongue before I give you any more information.”
“Not if I don’t allow you to—”
“Mina?” I sensed rather than saw Rixon’s shadow fill the doorway before hearing his string of curses. “What the fuck is—Julian?”
“Stand down, Rixon.” I pulled on the bond, forcing him into place. “I’ve got this under control.”
Julian used this moment, hoping it was distraction enough, to lunge again.
We moved through a series of blows. He didn’t show any surprise at my abilities to fight with blades, which meant he already knew.
I continued to parry his attempts, letting him take the offensive, wearing him down.
Sweat beaded his brow, glistening in the single light of the candle.
Even drenched in shadows, I could see him perfectly, though he could not see me as well. I was especially glad for my demonic abilities. I managed a slice to his middle, making him cry out and jump back. “Tell me who else is working with you.”
“Fuck you,” he spat, lunging. I dodged. A low growl came from the doorway.
“Fucking me is my wielder’s job,” I taunted. “And I can assure you, it is an absolute pleasure for him.”
He tried several maneuvers, leaving his side open. I saw the opportunity and plunged my blade into his shoulder. He hissed. As I jerked it free, I dove into my magic and threw it around him, freezing him into place.
His face morphed into fury.
My own fury was too close to the surface.
“You dishonorable bitch. You said no magic.”
My eyes blackened, the darkness in me taking over. I offered him a sinister smile and said, “I lied.”