"The one I'm going to kill tonight," she nods as if she's describing taking a stroll.
Baelfire's jaw clenches. "Not without my help, Mayflower."
"And mine."
I expect Maven to refuse immediately, so it's a pleasant surprise when she studies the two of us for a long moment before sighing.
"How strong are your stomachs?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because I'm going to torture this changeling, and oddly enough, not everyone enjoys that."
For nine years, I observed the Garnet Wizard torture anyone who attempted to trespass in his sanctuary without authorization. His punishments were brutal, and he occasionally asked for my help conducting magical experiments on those trespassers.
I'm no sadist, but I am well-versed in things like this.
"I can handle it," I say, smirking across at the dragon shifter. "Baelfire is far too soft, though. He should sit this one out. He once fainted watching a horse give birth on my parents' estate, back when they were alive to have one."
He kicks me under the table. "I wasfour, you motherfucker. When I saw your parents' keeper reaching into that thing, I thought he was stuffing his hand up its butt. What kid wouldn't find that shit appalling? But that was forever ago, and I can handle anything you can."
I look at my keeper pointedly. "As you said earlier, his dark side isn't nearly at our level. If he even has one."
"Everyone has a dark side," she mutters as if to herself.
"Look, I'm not a blatant asshole like Silas most of the time, but this fucker hurt my mate, so watching her torture it is going to be an absolute fucking treat," Baelfire huffs.
Maven nods, then frowns. "Come to think of it, that changeling got into my head earlier, so it might start spouting off shit about my past that it has no business sharing. I should do this alone."
I set my bloodied crystal on the table, shaking my head. "You've decided to be transparent with us. Consider this a part of that. Nothing it says will sway us from your side."
She openly grimaces at that before meeting my eye. "Don't be so sure."
"What will it take to earn your trust,ima sangfluir?Should we make a blood oath promising to take your secrets to our graves?"
"No. Besides, that would hardly be comforting. In my experience, graves aren't permanent."
Baelfire and I exchange a look before he asks, "Wanna expound on that, Mayflower?"
She opens her mouth, but someone knocks on the front door, interrupting our first half-official quintet meeting. Baelfire looks haggard as he bares his teeth. He's still liable to shift and kill if any threat presents itself, and there is no way in the world that I'm letting someone outside of our quintet see Maven in a bathrobe, so I'm the one who answers the door.
Engela Zuma regards me, barely blinking at the dried blood on my chin, neck, hands, and clothes. I'm so taken aback by a member of the Immortal Quintet at our door that I immediately step out and shut it behind me, ensuring she has no chance of glimpsing Maven.
Of all members of the Immortal Quintet, I know the least about Engela. Everyone knows Natalya is a spoiled, overpowered bitch, and that none of her immortal boy toysshould be crossed because they're all equally powerful and inhumane.
However, the second female monster in the Immortal Quintet is a relative question mark, even by her appearance. I know she can transform objects and even people to stone at the touch of her finger, but with her deep brown skin, dark eyes, and black hair shorn close to her head, she could pass for a human. She doesn't look nearly as monstrous as the others in her quintet.
I dip my head slightly, a sign of respect I don't entirely mean because I respect no one in the Immortal Quintet. "What brings you to?—"
She cuts me off by holding out four sealed envelopes without a word.
I don't want to take them. What if they're dangerous?
Of course, they're dangerous, a voice in my head scoffs.The Immortal Quintet must know the truth about Maven. They're after her.
When you open those envelopes, deadly hexes will emerge.
You'll be powerless as usual. Useless boy,my father growls among the voices.
