Page 32 of Seared Fates

Defeated, heat begins to boil in my stomach. Fuck Emma, fuck all blood mages. I try to use my magic, but it’s as locked as my body.

Emma’s quick to compose herself, slapping on a big smile. “What am I doing? You can’t talk, silly me.” The drop of blood splatters to the ground, and for all the control it had over me, it’s the size of a penny.

Gasping, my limbs unfreeze, and I stumble into a corner, the book dropping with athudbetween us.

“Fuck!” I shout just to prove I can.

“You’re right, I went too far.” She places her hand on her hip and shakes her head, as if to say ‘you know what I’m like’.

“I’m not giving you shit!” My voice shakes, hell, my whole body’s shaking with tears streaming down my face.

“Not even for Vidar’s love—”

Her threat to my soulmate fills me with such rage that I'm moving forward without thinking.

Emma’s gaze sharpens, and I halt. I might be trembling like a leaf, but I’m not falling back, either. “Vidar and me are already being fucked around enough by Fate. He’s a person, and I’d rather die than force that kind of love.”

She shrugs nonchalantly. “Not a human, a vampire—”

“It doesn’t matter!” My fists shake. It might be stupid to piss her off, but fuck this bitch. “Lemme be real fucking clear; I ain’t giving you shit!”

Emma's lips twitch. I’m pretty sure she’s about to lash out, but instead she smiles sweetly.

It’s the same look she gave Jace before he died.

“You know what?” Emma sings, the girl behind her unmoving. “You’re right. Who accepts the first offer? You’re just being a good businessman, and hey—” she opens her arms wide, “I appreciate that. In fact…” Emma winks conspiratorially. “I respect it.”

“You’re insane, that’s what you are.”

“I don’t want a war with the vampires, because despite what my sister thinks and my brother thought—” she snorts at this, as if sharing an inside joke. “What I want more than anything is a future for my people.”

Emma straightens, stares at me for what feels like an eternity, before meandering towards the door with all the confidence in the world. The girl follows, bare feet dragging.

“So, Kai, I’m willing to wait, because you’re going to change your mind. Before now, you were dealing with untrained baby mages,” she says, voice filled with laughter as she flicks her wrist and the girl crumbles.

Without thinking, I move to help, but reel back like I’ve been shocked by lightning, eyes wide and bile burning the back of my throat as the girl folds in on herself.

Skin stretches. Hair flies wildly. Bone and muscle crack and reform until there isn’t a girl anymore—but a blood mage spellbook.

Stomach rolling, I heave and vomit splatters on the floor.

“But now Mummy’s here to show you how it's really done.”

With that, Emma scoops up the book that used to be a girl and sweeps out the door, cackling like the wicked witch.

My legs wobble as I collapse into a heap. “Fuck,” I curse, and keep repeating until I can no longer hear the echoes of her laughter.

Chapter thirteen

Vidar

As Kai tells us about his unwelcome visit from Emma, I itch to stay close, as if that witch lurks in every corner until I’m all but hovering over him, my heart beating painfully against my ribs, useless fists shaking instead of around her neck.

But what bothers me most is the light, near-humorous way Kai talks about his encounter—as if he’s recounting some terrible movie when he’s clearly shaken.

Ramy plays along, nodding at all the right moments, but Golden wears his heart on his sleeve, and even as he forces a smile, he grimaces too often and too obviously. So Kai tries even harder to reassure him, creating a vicious cycle; Golden’s face twists with worry, and Kai buries his pain for no one’s benefit.

“Out,” I growl when I’ve finally had enough of Kai’s fake laughter. “Everyone but Kai. Out.”