Mage Chronicles: The Journey.

BLOOD DEBT.

"Eve, I'd say it's a pleasure but I don't want to lie," I start turning to face her. Her tone might have been taunting but the hatred and anger from her face almost makes me back away. You'd think I'd be the one that angry right?

Ashley scrambles away now that my attention is diverted and I turn my entire attention to the female advancing on me menacingly.

"Do you want to finish off where your sister left?" I ask letting the warmth that was the precursor to my going all crazy and powerful fill me. If I had to let go at some point, she'd be the perfect target I think squaring up to her.

Her expression turns cautious, maybe she'd thought I would cower. Before I could feel smug, her expression fades into one who had successfully cornered her prey.

Shit! What now?

"My sister died because of you," she starts before pausing dramatically, "I call blood debt."

Gasps ring out from the crowd and I see Axel's shocked face looking to our dad for help.

What the hell was a blood debt?

From what I'm getting from these guys, when one of your family or related persons is harmed or killed, you're entitled to take revenge on the perpetrators or their close relations with no consequences.

"A blood debt huh? But you are calling it on the wrong person, I'm the one who slit that traitorous bitch's throat," Rhys says moving towards us a snarl on his breathtaking face.

"Miss Finn, I am appalled by your audacity to say the least," Khalil starts his dean face on, and I see a number of students blanch and move farther back from the spectacle we were no doubt creating.

"Your sister committed treason and that was the least of her crimes. You shouldn't even be here because the law dictates that the entire family should be punished but instead of being graceful and lying low, you're here to get revenge? Really?" dad whispers the last part so softly a shiver runs down my spine.

Not one to be deterred, Eve squares up and I'd applaud her balls if the circumstances were different, "The same law also grants me the ability to exact revenge on behalf of my sister, or is the royal family exempt from these laws?" She yells the last part out loud and she's rewarded by the grumbles and mutters that start up from our enthralled crowd.

She's smart.

Indeed. I can see her words had the intended impact because Khalil hesitates while Ax looks like he's about to say fuck it all and go berserk on the bitch.

Then Rhys who'd gone silent speaks up, "But why would you go after Mahina? I'm the one who did it, call the debt on me."

Eve seemed to have been expecting this and she turns smug once again, "She's your mate, isn't she? She is also the mother of your offspring, sorry your dead offspring," she jeers in mock sympathy and I almost lose it right then and there. Rhys doesn't have the luxury of self-control and his entire body is engulfed by powerful tremors before he stills and opens his eyes again.

"Repeat that." He snarls and it's my turn to gasp because Rhys wasn't around anymore, that was Rhian.

Eve gulps staring at him in horror as he advances on her.

Oh no you don't, if this bitch was going down it was going to be via my hands, I think jumping in front of Rhian arms spread wide.

"Oisin!" he sighs pausing in his murderous match to glare down at me, "Move."

"No!"

"She..."

"I know what she did, but she called the debt on me, not you," I cut him off.

Rhian pauses studying me intently and I let him see my intention, see the deep-rooted avenging anger seething in me.

"Your eyes..." he whispers, "They are red... and glowing."

But he steps back nodding at me despite the very loud protests from my brother and my dad.

"Let her, she needs this," I hear him explain as I turn my entire focus on Eve.

"You are going to let her fight me? Do you wish to lose another loved one so soon Rhysand?" she mouths off in glee.

"Shut it." I mumble moving closer.

"You are weak, as weak as the stupid bastard you arrived here towing, I bet he screamed like baby when they stuffed him in that..." she taunts.

"He was!" I cut her off.

"What?" she asks disoriented from being interrupted.

"He was...is a baby!" I take deep breaths trying to calm down. My vision had turned red and I could feel the firm hold I had on myself slipping.

Calm Mahina, you need to focus.

"Look at her," she screams turning to the crowd, "a pathetic excuse of a mage and a royal. It is a wonder you couldn't protect..."

One minute I'm standing across from her seething and the next I'm in her face hands wrapped around her throat, "I told you to shut it." I growl, my voice coming out multi-layered.

"Make me," she gasps.

"Gladly," I whisper letting go and becoming a passenger in my own body.