Page 11 of Chosen, Eternally

I feel my brows pull together in confusion, my face the only part of my body not frozen by her spell.

“The Society and the vampires have worked together several times. The first was when we were getting murdered left and right by the disgusting humans. So The Four decided to get creative and bring a few vampires from the Old World. They promised them an open buffet if they started killing off the Puritans responsible for the Trials. But really, we just wanted a faux common enemy with the humans. Something to get them to need us.”

“So we double-crossed the vampires?” I ask, shocked.

She nods, a sly grin spreading across her face.

“Are you serious?” My whole training has been a lie?

Cybil laughs. “The Four were truly brilliant for informing the vampires where most of the town would be the night of their trial. But then, once they arrived to terrorize the humans, our own Society betrayed them and sold them out to the humans, making us a necessary ‘evil’ in order to secure the town’s safety.

“Obviously, the vampires who got away did not appreciate it, so we’ve been at odds ever since.

But that doesn’t mean that we haven’t worked together again with the more free-agent vampires.

Every time some ridiculous new political candidate starts to gain ground or anti-witch sentiment grows with the locals, we find ways to work together in lucrative deals. ”

“I…” Don’t know what to say.

I look around the table at the more senior members of the Council and take in their guilt-ridden expressions, their mouths pressed shut by Cybil’s obscure incantation.

Disappointed by how messed up the internal workings of our organization are, I take comfort in one thing: regardless of whatever dark magic Cybil might be using right now, there’s no way she can hold this spell for much longer.

Not when she’s using it on so many people at the same time.

And she’s definitely no match for me in a duel—I’m still the Chosen Protector, after all.

“What do you intend to do now, Cybil? Off the entire Council?” I scoff. “You’d never get away with it. The rest of the witches of Salem wouldn’t let you.”

She shrugs, relaxed. “Who knows? Maybe they’re tired of this Protector BS. And maybe the new mayor might want to actually work with me once I show him I had to get rid of the Council after I found out about their corrupt dealings with the vampires. Maybe, for once, I’ll get what I deserve.”

“Oh, I think you’ll get exactly what you deserve,” I sneer. “James, now !”

Cybil’s eyes widen in realization, her head turning quickly in every direction as she searches for my love. But it’s only when he tackles her to the ground that she realizes he’s under an Invisibility spell.

“How did you do it? How did you manage to hold a spell like that for so long?” She screams as James holds her down. “I was monitoring you through the town’s CCTV since you left your apartment earlier this morning, and I never saw him.”

Free from her magical shackles, I run over to Cybil and James’s side. I remove the incantation, revealing a gorgeous James to the entire Council—all of whom have now been released as well.

“I told you,” I say, golden ropes wrapping around her body like a boa constrictor, restraining her physically and magically.

“I’m stronger. Better. Faster. Smarter than you could ever hope to be.

And so was my mother. A Goode woman was destined to be the Protector, that’s for sure.

But it was never going to be you, Aunt Cybil.

You could never measure up to my mother or myself. ”

With a final wave of my hand, I send another golden rope her way, this time serving as a gag.