Ian?
“It’s gone, okay? I absorbed its power,” Malik wheezes out.
Sam stumbles back at Malik’s response. “What? That’s why you stole it? I don’t understand—how?”
“I don’t either, okay? I don’t knowhowI did it. It just happened. And I didn’t steal it. My coven did.”
“Oh yeah, and you weren’t a part of it, right? Manipulating the foolish Ambrose witch into falling in love with you so your coven could break in and steal my family’s most prized possession.”
Malik’s taupe skin takes a blueish hue. He’s clearly suffocating. “Enough!” Kaiden bellows as he lets me go. Hellfire envelops the vines, turning them to ashes in mere seconds without even touching Malik. He pops off to appear next to Malik, who hits his knees, chest heaving. “I don’t know what the fuck happened between you two, but I don’t care. You need to calm the fuck down,” he clips out to Sam.
“You seem very fond of your friend here, Kaiden. Tell me, did you also know that he’s a murderer? Or is that not something you like to share with your friends, Ian?” Her upper lip curls in disgust. “Sorry. Malik.”
Kaiden’s jaw ticks. “Malik, what is she talking about?”
Malik pushes up. Anguish pinches the planes of his face. “They were supposed to steal the grimoire. That’s it. I swear I didn’t do anything to her father.”
“Then why did you disappear after, huh? Why did you put me under a sleeping spell the same night he was killed? Why did you erase every trace of us meeting if you are so innocent?” Sam fires back.
Malik’s only response is to cast his gaze to the ground. Histhroat rolls on a hard swallow.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. You might not have pulled the trigger, but your hands are bloody all the same.” She turns on her heel to me. “Did you know he’s Ian?”
“Of course not,” I tell her.
“’Kay then, let’s go.” Instead of striding toward her car like I was expecting her to, she stomps in the direction of the airstairs. “I can’t believe he’s still wearing that stupid trench coat,” she mumbles under her breath.
I hurry my pace to catch up with her. “Sam, what are you doing? We’re not traveling to Faerie anymore.” Malik and Kaiden are sharing some sharp words behind us, but Malik must have put up a sound shield because, aside from their body language, I can’t make out what they’re saying.
“What? Why?”
I throw her an incredulous look. “Are you kidding me? Because of what just happened.”
“I’m fine,” she sniffs.
I scoff. “You clearly aren’t.”
“Iris, we need to know what that prophecy says, so we’re going. I’m not sitting around and waiting for you to be attacked again by demons. Plus, Rhett said that the oracle is in danger of being found by the king’s knights. We can’t waste any time if that’s the case.”
I saw my lower lip between my teeth in thought. She’s right. But I can’t do this to her. “No. I’m going to ask for our bags, and we’ll go home, okay?”
She levels me with a stony glare. “No, we’re not.”
“Fine, then Malik’s not coming.”
Sam tilts her head skyward and sucks in a lungful of air before blowing it out as if trying to gather all the patience in the universe. “As much as it pains me to say this, I don’t even come close to his healing abilities without my family’s grimoire—I betthe bastard is so powerful because he absorbed its magic. The potions I packed for the trip are not going to help if something really bad happens. He should come. Besides, he has already saved your life and healed you more than once. That’s the only reason why I’m even considering this.”
I shuffle on my feet. “Are you sure?”
She nods. “But if he as much as breathes in my direction, I’ll make him regret the day he was born.” She stomps up the stairs as if they personally offended her. Rhett, who has been watching everything unfold from a quiet corner, follows her with awhat the fuck did I get myself into?expression painting his face.
“Is she okay?” Kaiden asks as he steps next to me.
“No, I—fuck. I wasn’t expecting this. Did you know about any of this? That she and Malik knew each other?”
“The only thing I was aware of is that Malik got into some bad shit in California when he joined a coven of dark witches. When I found him, he was barely alive. He never opened up about that part of his life much, and I didn’t push his boundaries. I figured he would share if he ever wanted to.”
“But he must have known Sam is my best friend. There are photos of us scattered all over my apartment. You said he was there when he put up the wards.”
