Page 33 of Beg the Night (Mystics of Ashora #1)

Despite the agony coursing through me, I pulled at Athena’s power. She wouldn’t use it. Not when she thought that imposter on the floor was my sister.

It took a moment for me to understand. I’d run through it time and again, wondering how they could have found Mags and gotten her here so quickly.

But then she called me Sinner, and it clicked.

My sister never, ever called me Sinner. She despised the name.

This wasn’t Mags. It was all a trick.

A moment after I’d begun to pull on the source of power from Athena, though, I was cut off.

Heart thundering, I blinked at Athena, silently begging her to look at me.

Director was rambling on about victory and justice.

The pain in my thigh was excruciating. It only worsened as the knife was yanked out, then plunged right back in.

Fuck. They really held a grudge, didn’t they?

I yelled out again, unable to keep the pain locked inside.

Director raised her hand again.

Then froze.

Athena froze, too. Her magic surrounded us, filled the room. It was invisible, imperceptible. To everyone but me. Now she was unleashed. Uncontrolled. She was really doing it. She was wielding her magic.

My phantoms purred inside my chest.

Not only had she stopped Director from stabbing me a third time, but she’d gained control over the four guards standing behind her. Each was frozen mid-move, their eyes wide.

“Drop the knife,” Athena ordered.

Director obeyed instantly, and the blade hit the floor with a clatter.

“Now untie us.” One second passed. Two. Then the guards moved in, one working on my hands, the other on my feet. Two untying Athena as well.

The moment I was free, I was on my feet. Athena was, too.

“Wait!” the person pretending to be Mags said. “They’ll hurt me if you use your power!”

Athena narrowed her eyes at me, and in that moment, I knew she also saw the truth. This wasn’t our Mags.

She still had control of every other person in the room. “We’re leaving,” she said. “Lock yourselves in this room once we’re gone and don’t come out.”

I limped forward, pressing a hand to my wound to stanch the blood. Fuck, this might actually work. I let my shadows flood out of me, a warning to anyone who might stand against us.

“Good.” Athena fought back a smile. Her expression fell, though, when she caught sight of the gun holstered in one of the guard’s belts. “New plan,” she said, her tone scarily even. “Shoot them all. And then shoot yourself.”

The guard unsheathed his weapon.

Pointed it at Director.

Slid the safety off.

I held my breath. This was the moment that would change everything. The moment that would go down in history as the beginning of the mystics’ victory.

The bang that followed came from the other side of the room, startling us.

The door had flown open and slammed into the wall.

Director stepped forward. “Shield, drop their visions.”

A man to her right raised his hand, and the room shifted. The walls changed color, and the woman we believed to be Director vanished. So did the Margaret impersonator. Director, the real Director, was flanked by six regular guards.

It was a fucking trap.

“Athena.” I pushed my shadows out, willed them to protect her, but they went silent, dissipated. My powers were being blocked.

“Good luck using your power while Leon here is with us.”

The hair on the back of my neck rose. Leon? What the hell was he doing with them? He was using his power to help the Ministry?

My chest stung with betrayal. Fuck. I could only imagine how hard this truth was hitting Athena.

“What the hell is going on?” she asked, her eyes wide.

No, no, no. This wasn’t happening.

We had played directly into Director’s plans.

“I knew you were strong, Athena. But mind control?” Director laughed.

I tried again and again to push out my shadows, but nothing happened. I tried to pull at Athena’s power, too, but got nothing.

Director clicked her tongue. “You are not just a tier three, are you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Athena lifted her chin, though her hands trembled at her sides. “Whatever you think you saw, you’re wrong.”

Director crossed her arms, wearing a look of mock pity.

“Even after the claiming, I wasn’t quite sure what your power was. It’s why we set up this diversion. So you would finally show us.”

No. A growl escaped my throat.

Director hit me with a smile that made my stomach roll. “Claiming with a four? Once you’ve come to your senses and realized we’re on the right side of this war, once we give you full access to your magic, you’ll be unstoppable. Your father would be proud of you.” Bile rose in my throat. I was going to rip her fucking head off. “You two will be very, very useful to my army. Especially now that you are claimed.”

“No.” Athena’s voice cracked. “It’s not possible. Fours don’t exist.”

“I’m so sorry,” Leon said, his face a ghostly white. “I never wanted to do this.”

It was not only my power that was suppressed, but my entire being. I fought against it with everything I had, I fought against the pressure, fought against the fading consciousness. I reached out to Athena, my hand brushing hers, but before I could find purchase, my vision went dark.

“Don’t worry,” Director said. “You two will fit in nicely in the barracks. Shields everywhere. Nobody uses their power without permission. You’ll spend the next four months training, then you’ll help us win this damn war.”

CONTINUE WITH BOOK 2: CURSE THE HEART