Page 141 of How to Flirt with a Witch

Screams break out. There’s a flurry of movement as the remaining people gather closer.

“What do you mean?” Fiona snaps. “They can’t possibly—”

Freddie’s laugh echoes off every surface in the crumbling room. I grit my teeth, fury coursing through me at the sound of him—this man who almost killed my best friend.

“Freddie!” Natalie breaks into a run. “You’ve made a mistake coming here.”

Will sprints after her, his hands raised as he summons rubble to use as a weapon.

I’m numb, my body and mind disconnecting. It’s really happened. Freddie Madsen has breached CSAMM.

I race after Natalie, wishing I could do magic, wishing I could doanythingto help.

“You all should’ve left when you had the chance,” someone yells, and before I can process who said it and what it means, an explosion ahead rattles the world.

Shrapnel stings my face. I throw my arms up, catching the rest with my forearms. The ground jolts, and my knees crack against it, followed by a stab of pain in my wrists. The heels of my hands skid across rocky debris.

Coughing on grit, I stay down, trying to get oriented.

Someone lets out a terrible scream.

“Wh-what’s going on?” I choke out, my voice faint beneath a hollowwhooshin my ears.

I try to stand, but my knee bumps something soft. I look over—and cry out, recoiling. It’s aperson. Someone is lying on the floor.

“Oh my God…” I crawl closer, grabbing their arm. “Are you okay?”

White skin, brown hair, short beard…

“Katie?” Natalie says, her voice distant and panicked.

I’m frozen, not comprehending what I’m seeing.

It’sWill. His eyes are open, glassy.

I scream, letting go of him and falling back onto my hands. “Natalie! Will is— He’s—”

“What? No!” Natalie drops to her knees beside me. “Will!”

The world tilts. My stomach churns, acid rising.

“Everyone, back up, or you’ll be next,” a high voice snaps.

“N-Natalie, he’s dead,” I say numbly, the words choking me.

I knew the Madsens were capable of murder, and I’ve seen with my own eyes how dangerous they can be, but to see Will dead on the floor…

Natalie grabs my arm, her grip painful, and pulls me to my feet. My legs threaten to give out, trembling as I lean into her.

Wyatt barks frantically, the sound reverberating through the lounge.

“The Shadows are on their way back!” Natalie shouts. “Surrender before you get hurt.”

“They’ll be just in time to see the end of the coven’s reign,” Oaklyn says, raising her dagger. “God, it feels good to be on a level playing field for once.”

Three people come into view against the far wall—Freddie standing with Wyatt crouched between his legs, Oaklyn with her dagger, and a middle-aged woman with fair skin and white-blonde hair woven into a thick braid. She can only be Sophia.

Across from them, Fiona, Sebastian, Millie, Agnes, and Amir stand with their backs to the courtyard, breathing hard and coughing.