WARD

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Bethalie felt the world fall from beneath her and all sound was blotted out. All...reason was blotted out.

There was nothing but Evyn... her face pale and drawn...her eyes wide...tortured.

No. No. No.

No. It wasn't Evyn.

No. It couldn't be Evyn.

There had to be some mistake.

Dear god, there had to be some mistake...

"Bethalie," she saw Evyn's mouth form the word but she couldn't pick up the sound. She couldn't hear anything but the sluggish beating of her own heart.

No. No. No.

No. It wasn't Evyn.

No. It couldn't be Evyn.

There had to be some mistake.

Evyn was her family. Evyn was...her heart.

Sound returned as a loud roar split the air and shook the ground beneath her feet. She saw Noah go flying up the steps toward Evyn....and a blink later...he was dragging the woman down the steps by her hair, her arms and legs flailing, making her look like a lifeless rag doll. He hauled her over to Bethalie and dropped her onto her knees.

"Nodevīgs kuce! Es ceru, ka viņa nogalina tevi lēnām!" Noah spat, drawing back and swatting his palm across Evyn's face, sending her sprawling sideways with a sharp shriek.

Bethalie stood frozen, her stomach rolling around inside her. She couldn't help but agree with Noah. She...should kill the traitorous bitch slowly.

""Evyn?" Bethalie croaked out, watching her assistant as she picked herself up off the dirt and sat on her knees.

"Bethalie, please, I can explain everything!" Evyn sobbed, swiping at the blood oozing from the corner of her mouth.

"Evyn...this...this...there's some mistake?  Its all just...a mistake. Right?" she croaked out.

Dear god, tell me it's a mistake. Please.

"It's no mistake, Ward!" Leila Simpson hissed spitefully. "She's been in with us this entire time! She's been in on every kill!"

Bethalie felt all the warmth drain from her flesh. No. It was a lie. The Witch was lying to her...

Mace appeared, picking up the glass jar that had fallen from Evyn's hands. "What do I with this, Bethalie? How do I help Jürgen?"

Bethalie tried to tear her gaze from her assistant, sitting there sobbing on the dirt floor, but she couldn't. "He...he h-has to drink it. Not too much. A few spoonfuls." Her voice sounded far away, almost as if it was coming from somewhere outside her body.

Mace hurried away and Noah stepped up to Bethalie's side, his shoulders heaving with rage. "Shall I kill her for you, mīla?" he rasped through his teeth.

Bethalie didn't answer him. "It's a lie," she said to her assistant. "Tell me the Witch is lying, Evyn."

"She's been in from the first!" Leila spat. "How do you think we got the names of these leeches!"

A gasp flew out of Bethalie and her heart dropped down into her stomach. No! No! "Evyn, you...you didn't leak the names of my targets! It wasn't...you!"

It was Lance Morgan. It was supposed to be Lance Morgan!

"Shut up, Leila!" Jenna's thick, groggy voice sounded out. "Don't tell them anything!"