“What kind of ride will get through to us?”
He didn’t answer, just sneered at her, then turned his back, crouching down and muttering to himself.
She felt a slap of power rise and recognized a summoning spell. Fine, he was calling someone. She glanced around, noting the sway of the leaves, a slight breeze somehow getting through the thick forest. How in the hell was she going to get out of this?
The click click of nails scraping on bark pulled her attention to the tree opposite her. A flash of brown fur streaked from one branch to another. She froze and tracked the beast’s movements, wary that they were being hunted. She opened her mouth to warn Merrick but then she saw a flash of a grin and her nerves settled.
Telly. The monkey had followed her.
“What are you up to, beast?”
She watched intently as the monkey jumped from branch to branch, studying Merrick with a tilt of its head.
“I like you, princess,” Merrick said as he turned toward her. “You’ve got fire.”
Mina dragged her eyes away from Telly, hoping Merrick didn’t notice the monkey. “Well, I don’t like you.”
Merrick laughed as he sat down on a root. “See? Fire!”
His mood had changed now that a ride was on the way. This jolly side of him was disconcerting.
Nails scraping along bark pulled Merrick’s eyes upward. Mina didn’t want him catching sight of the monkey.
“You’re a fucking moron, Merrick,” she growled. “You think White Willow hasn’t sent out a search party for me as we speak? You think you’ll escape the Trappers?”
His eyes widened, his smile turning to a sneer. “I’m no moron, princess. But you’ll learn that in time.” He leaned toward her. “That pretty mouth of yours is going to get you into a lot of trouble.” The air shimmered to the left and Merrick pointed. “Our ride. Get up.”
Fuck. Any chance she had of rescue would disappear if she went through that portal. There was no knowing where it would lead. Or if it would even work. Portals were notoriously unstable.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” She felt a tug on her bound wrists. Telly was picking at the plastic. She covered up her shock by growling at Merrick. “If you come near me, I’m going to kill you.”
“Oh yeah, princess?” He lunged at her. “Those are big words for such a little girl.”
He latched onto her throat with one of his meaty hands, his face so close that he was spitting on her. “You’re like a feral, wild with your hissing.” He squeezed, choking off her air supply. “But I have many ways to tame a little beast like you.” His fingers dug in deeper, as he glared at her. “And I’ll enjoy every minute of it.”
She wanted to reach up, scratch his eyes out, but she couldn’t do anything to stop him. His hand on her throat was like a vise grip, so tight that it felt like her head was going to pop off. And whatever Telly was doing seemed like it was happening in slow motion.
Until it wasn’t.
Merrick started to lift her, hauling her up by the throat. She would have screamed if she had breath to do it.
“Can’t fight if you’re unconscious,” he snarled.
Her eyesight blinked to black, then flickered back. Her lungs demanded oxygen.
Telly released her hands. Then the little fucker bit her, sank his fangs deep into her wrist.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. Blood dripped down her fingers. And she realized that Telly hadn’t just bitten her, he’d given her exactly what she needed.
Her power rose, jittery at first but there. This wasn’t going to be pretty.
“I’ll take you where ever I want and you won’t—”
She lifted her hands, splaying her blood over his face as she latched her palms onto his ears, cupping to create suction. Fuck you, Merrick!
She sent all of her power out of her fingertips, pushing until it sparked along her hand. There was a loud pop. Merrick’s eyes bulged, his mouth opened and then he screamed. A high-pitched, blood freezing scream.
He dropped her like a rock. She hit the ground hard, twisting her ankle and hitting her hip against a root. Her lungs burned as she sucked in gulps of air.
Merrick lay crumpled on the ground in front of her, ears bleeding, eyes closed.
“I-could-do-anything-to-you-now”—she gulped down another few breaths—“that you’re unconscious, asshole.”
The portal shimmered brightly. She had no idea who was on the other side.
She looked around for the monkey and saw him sitting on a branch, watching her. The bite on her wrist throbbed. Mina knew infection was likely setting in, she just hoped her many boosters would keep her protected until she got back to White Willow. “How’d you get so smart?”
The monkey chirped then blew a raspberry at her.
Little fucker. “Thanks, monkey.”
Limping, she slipped off the beaten path and skirted along the trees, using the branches to support her aching ankle. It was slow and she didn’t want to look over her shoulder to see how little she’d travelled. That portal would open in minutes and whoever was coming would see her if she didn’t get moving faster.
Telly moved from branch to branch, swinging lazily, swatting at her hair, making chirping noises at her.
“You could be a bit more helpful, monkey.”
Telly did his weird little monkey laugh but otherwise ignored her, jumping, swinging, like he had no care in the world.
Mina’s anxiety rose with each throbbing step she took. The power from the portal was like a fire burning at her back. Still too close; time was running out.
She thought about crouching and hiding. Then noticed that the vines on the tress were moving to intercept her, to bind her up as well. The damn things were like pythons, squeezing the life out of their prey and then siphoning any available magic.
Fuck!
She turned, facing the portal, watching it take shape, revealing a silhouette of someone in the background.
If she could send something in there before it opened completely, the portal would fail. She lifted her wrist to the nearest branch and scraped it down, tearing a whimper from her lips as the bite opened wider. She needed more blood for this one. She angled her arm so that her blood pooled into her palm, closed her eyes and called down the vines, moving them from the trees toward the portal. She let the power build, praying that it would work, coiled the vines tight and then launched them forward. They moved like arrows, darting into the portal. It shook violently, bright light blasted all around.
Mina shielded her eyes.
The portal shattered then disintegrated. One problem solved.
She slumped against the nearest tree. Fuck, she was tired. And she hurt. The vines were twinning down again, slipping over her shoulders, and sliding along her torso. They’d spin themselves around her if she stayed there much longer. With a deep breath, she pushed herself forward. White Willow was only a mile away, maybe two. How long had they been walking? She couldn’t remember.
Telly hissed and one of the vines snapped, falling at her feet. Mina looked up confused, squinting, and instead of seeing Telly, she saw Zeus. And a second after that there was Bas, moving so quickly that he almost didn’t see her, his eyes set on the path ahead, his face a mask of concentration.
“Bas!” she called, pulling his focus to the right. She sighed with relief, leaning against a tree.
Bas stopped moving. “Mina?” Then came rushing to her. “Are you okay? Your throat, did he choke you?”
She felt the pulse of his magic wash over her, instantly easing some of the discomfort.
Zeus, seemingly satisfied by Bas’s attention, jumped from one tree to the other, moving toward the fallen Breeder.
“I’m okay. Twisted my ankle but nothing major.”
He’d come to save her?
He scooped her up so quickly that it made her dizzy. His healing magic coursed through her, tingling her scalp and curling her toes. All of her pain vanished and her exhaustion ebbed away. He truly
was a fantastic Healer.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m getting you back so I can check you over properly.”
“No, I mean, what are you doing here?”
He looked down at her, his brow furrowed. “I came back to the Dungeon to talk and all hell was breaking loose. You were gone and Angel told me—”
“Bas, put me down.”
Bas’s frown deepened. “Mina, I don’t care that you’re human. It’s not important.”
Mina’s heart clenched painfully. “It is important. It’s part of who I am and I’ve lived my whole life feeling ashamed for that, like I’m some kind of mistake. I should have said something sooner. I shouldn’t have lied by omission. That’s on me but I’m tired of living in the shadows. I know that you’ve gone through a lot and that you have reason to hate the humans but I’m not them.”
“I don’t think of you like that.” Bas set her down, holding her steady as she wobbled on her feet. “You’re right, I’m a bigot. And I know that I have things to work on and that I’ve done and said things that were offensive and insulting to you and I’m sorry.” He sighed. “All I’m asking is for another chance. I can do better, especially with you at my side. I can always do better.”
Mina could see the truth of that in his eyes. She felt his sincerity. “And Bridget?”
“We were done before I stepped foot in the Dungeon and I should have been clear about that.” He put his hands on her arms and pulled her closer. “I’m not the best communicator, I know that, but I’ll work on it. I promise.”
She looked up at him and smiled.
Just then more crashing came from ahead and she felt Bas tense. Three security guards came barrelling through the brush, fully garbed in hazard suits.
Mina would have laughed if she wasn’t so damn tired.
“He’s over there,” Mina said pointing toward Merrick. “I think Zeus is taking care of him though.”
There was a loud growl and then a shriek. Could have been normal forest noises or it could have been Zeus doling out some kitty punishment.
Bas held her closer. “I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
Mina laughed. “You’re not psychic, are you?” She let herself relax into his arms. “You had no way of knowing that was going to happen. Besides, I can take care of myself.”
Mostly. With a little help from the familiars.
“I know you can, but all the same, I shouldn’t have left.”
“You can’t be with me forever and always.” She chuckled awkwardly, knowing how that sounded, seeking more reassurances.
He kissed her forehead. “We’ll see about that.”
25
Never in a million years would Bas have thought he’d find himself at a funeral for a Sin Eater. Never would he have thought he’d mourn the Sin Eater in question.
Angel hadn’t survived. She’d taken the brunt of the curse meant for Mina and had died for it.
Mina stood beside him, watching with solemn, tear-filled eyes as the witches assembled for Angel’s last rites.
“She wasn’t in pain,” Mina croaked. “In the end.”
Mina had been at her side the entire time. Angel had died two days after the attack. From what Bas had been told, she’d been unconscious for most of it.
“She’s at peace now,” Bas said. “Her life ended exactly as she wanted it to, sacrificing to a worthy witch.”
She’d given up her life for Mina.
Yep, Bas was grateful. While he would never understand why the Sin Eaters so willingly gave up their lives for others, he was so grateful Angel had. The curse the Breeders had used would have killed Mina eventually. It was designed to pump a toxic flow of black magic through the bloodstream. It would have taken years to fully incapacitate Mina but it would have made her life hell. Angel, with her ravaged body, hadn’t stood a chance.
“She was lucid for a while,” Mina said, wiping tears away with the back of her hand. “She told me some things.”
“Like what?” Bas felt his stomach clench. Things with Mina were shaky, he knew. He hadn’t seen her much since the forest conversation and didn’t know if they were still on the same page. So yeah, for the first time in his adult life, he felt insecure.
“Just things.” She smiled. “She told me that you are worth the bullshit.”
Bas started to protest.
Mina cut him off. “She said you thought that your feelings were manufactured, like by a spell.”
How would Angel even know that?
Mina looked up at him, her smile slipping. “I would never spell someone to have feelings for me, Bas. But perhaps my loneliness did call to you in some way.” She looked down. “Angel said that my craving for a connection was a power on its own. I didn’t understand what she meant at the time but just before she died—” Mina choked on her words. “Just before, she reminded me that loneliness like mine can ignite things. Maybe it sparked something between us that was only just a whiff of smoke or a burning ember. Maybe it was me that made this happen. Like a spell.”
Bas didn’t know how Angel knew the things she knew. He lifted Mina’s face, a finger under her chin, gently bringing her eyes back to meet his. “You can’t make something out of nothing, Mina. You make me want to be a better man. No magic in the world could have that power. It’s you, not a spell, that I fell in love with. You, the compassionate, caring, hard working witch that you are. I admire you. I want to be close to you. I want to cherish you. And yes, I want to make sure you never again feel that kind of loneliness.”
Mina let out a small sob, her eyes tearing once again.
“We are gathered here today to honor our fallen sister, Angel,” Mother Stone began.
He manoeuvred Mina so she could lean into his body, his arm around her waist, her head against his shoulder.
He refocused on the pyre. Angel was covered with a wisp of blue cloth, same color as her cloak but made of sheer material. It was woven with spider silk, imbued with magic, and the only extravagance granted to the Sin Eater. The service was short. Sin Eaters’ funerals were bare bones, no embellishments. They lived a life of servitude and then moved on. They shared the common belief that a witch’s soul needed to be set free on the wind so that his or her power would be reabsorbed into the magical world.
While the other Sin Eaters were present, along with their interns, no one spoke other than Mother Stone. There was no call for a lengthy eulogy. It was considered bad form to speak of the many sacrifices the Sin Eater had made and Mother Stone only briefly mentioned her exemplary servitude.
It wasn’t long before she picked up the torch, alight with funeral fire, and set Angel’s cloth covered body aflame.
Ashes to ashes.
Mina was sobbing quietly, her body shaking.
“Her ashes will release her finally,” Bas said.
She pulled back, her eyes still shining with tears. “I know. It’s just so senseless.”
“The Breeders will be punished.”
Mina nodded. All of the Breeders, including the one who had kidnapped Mina, were awaiting trial at the Scrub. They’d already been stripped of magic so the punishment of that alone was definitely giving them something to think about.
“She didn’t get a chance to tell you something.” Mina wiped at her tears.
The fire from the pyre was hot but no one moved back. Fire like this was cleansing. It was a reminder of the cycle of life.
“Tell me what?”
Mina gulped back some more tears then turned to look at the pyre. “She knew Edward Grayson.”
Bas’s heart thudded hard, his anger flashing. “I don’t want to talk about him.”
“I know,” Mina said. “But she wanted you to know that he was punished.”
Funeral fire was efficient and fast. Angel’s body was almost completely reduced to ash in a matter of minutes.
He clenched his jaw, his thoughts spinning. Edward had destroyed his mother’s life. His actions had led to her death as well
. If his mother had had her natural magic, she’d have been able to fight those flames, to get out of the fire and save her life, he was sure of it. “How did she know Grayson?”
Mina’s eyes didn’t leave Angel’s ashes. “He was her cousin. Something she was very ashamed of. He was a problem from birth and ran away from home when they’d tried to impose restrictions on him. That’s when he found your mother.”
Bas clenched his jaw. The Sin Eater should have told him. “Where is he now?”
“Dead,” Mina said. She looked up at him, her hand on his jaw to bring his eyes to hers. “His ashes are trapped in the family’s grimoire.”
Grayson was dead and would have no peace. Bas was disappointed. It would have given him great satisfaction to kill the man himself. He flicked his eyes to Angel’s ashes, and watched as Mother Stone stirred the wind, lifting her hands to catch the ashes so they’d spread.
“She wanted to tell you. She just didn’t know when the right time was.” Mina sighed. “And then there was no time.”
Bas nodded, then looked down at Mina. “Not like I really gave her a chance.”
Mina squeezed his hand and offered a small smile before looking away. “After he hurt your mother, they finally caught up with him. She said he was punished and stripped of his power. Ultimately he died because of it.”
“He got what he deserved.” And he should have given Angel a chance to tell him that. He gulped down his pride. “I was an ass to her.”
Mina turned toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist to rest her head against his chest. “She understood.”
“Mina, if you require more time off.” Mother Stone was approaching with some of the Sin Eaters on the way back to the hospital. “Please take as much as you need.”
Mina pulled away from Bas and cleared her throat, her cheeks instantly red. “No, Mother Stone.” Mina shook her head. “There’s a lot of work to be done. From what I’ve heard, the Dungeon isn’t fit for anyone and the Saviors are a day out, if that.”
Bas felt the pulse of her anxiety ratchet up. He sent out a wash of power, tamping it down so it didn’t get out of hand. He knew she could do it herself now but he wanted to help ease her suffering in whatever way he could.
Feral Heart: A Witch Hospital Romance (The Witches of White Willow Book 2) Page 21
