When the rage within threatens to destroy everything...
As if firestarter wasn't bad enough, adding assassin to her resume isn't exactly the teenage life Halen Windspeare always imagined. Facing a sinister demon, Halen must unleash her power to van...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Even with blood trailing her arms, Rania had the posture of a queen. She barked orders to her guards while the crowd's murmurs stirred with panic.
Catch yanked Halen back from the ledge.
"Come on." Pepper descended the ladder.
"I'm sorry." Halen stared at her hands as if they weren't her own. She turned to Dax. Had he manipulated her magic? Was this even possible? "I saw you on the seam..." Her thoughts raced. He was her balance. Dax was supposed to keep her from losing herself in the dark side of her soul. He wouldn't take her there intentionally—would he?
The corners of his mouth turned with a smile. "Thank you."
His gratitude caught her off guard. "I didn't mean to hurt her! Why didn't you stop me?"
"Deep inside you wanted it, or it wouldn't have happened." He shrugged.
"What are you talking about? I didn't..." She clasped her hands to her chest. But she had. For one beat of a second, she had wished Rania dead.
Pepper's head poked from the entrance. "We have to get out of here. Now!"
"Go." Dax guided her by the elbow, while he held Catch back from the ladder.
Catch's eye twitched double-time, but he said nothing.
"You're not coming with us? We should stick together." Halen stopped her descent.
"It's okay. We'll be right behind you," Dax said.
Pepper tugged on her ankle and Halen lightly kicked her away. She held out her hand to Catch. "Why don't you come with us?"
"I need him," Dax said. "We still have to free Nelia and find Huron."
"It's okay." Catch's lips lifted with a forced smile.
Catch wasn't built to fight. No way was he okay with Dax's plan, but there wasn't time to argue. "Just hurry." Halen grabbed the ledge. Her head swimming with doubt, she descended the ladder.
At the bottom, her back pressed against the cool rock and she glanced up, thinking they should stay together. Her magick got them into this trouble, but it could also help them out.
Pepper grabbed her wrist. "Where are the guys?" "They're staying," Halen said flatly.
Pepper muttered something under her breath that sounded a little like a string of curse words. "What's important is to get you out of here."
"I should stay and fight," Halen said.
"This is not the time to be brave." She tugged her to the left.
"What good is this magick, if I can't use it to help?"
"You will help, just not here. Trust me." Pepper touched her arm. "Please come with me."
