“Would killing her work?” I asked, holding my ground.
Niall and Cadell traded looks. I narrowed my eyes, not able to decipher what message they sent each other.
“It should,” Niall admitted. “But she has powerful allies. Drawing their ire would be inadvisable.”
“Nor would it be as easy as you seem to think,” Cadell said. “Niamh has many enemies and they’ve all tried to wipe her from this world. You are barely into your eternity. What makes you think you will fare any better?”
I didn’t answer, following Inara out of the room. Most of what they’d told me had been things I’d known or guessed, but I’d learned enough to have a hundred new questions.
Inara fluttered into the bathroom, waiting for me to join her. This time Lowen stayed behind, the quiet murmur of men’s voices following me.
I was ready as the magic rose, using my othersight to watch as hundreds of glittering lights surrounded us. They reminded me of fireflies buzzing around us as the magic built.
Even watching, I couldn’t tell how she did it, or pinpoint the exact moment when she broke the laws of physics as humans knew them.
With a pop, the world jerked sideways in a sickening lurch and I once again ended up on my ass. This time in my own bathroom.
I picked myself up off the ground with a groan.
“I will never get used to that,” I informed Inara as she settled on my upraised knee.
I started to push my way to my feet and froze at the sight of the open door. Liam leaned against the doorframe, his body perfectly relaxed as he watched me.
“Oh shit,” I gulped.
Inara froze, her small eyes growing comically wide as she noticed Liam.
The three of us stared at each other, Liam contemplative, Inara and I in horrified shock.
“I guess you’re wondering what’s going on,” I tried.
Liam didn’t respond, just turned and disappeared into the apartment. We heard the front door open and shut moments later.
That wasn’t good.
“Stop him, you fool,” Inara screeched, pinching my ear.
I flinched at the pain before batting her away as I scrambled to my feet and darted after Liam.
He had a decent head start. He was already out of the apartment and had reached Niall and Cadell’s door by the time I landed somewhat ungracefully on the ground.
“Liam,” I warned.
He raised his hand and knocked.
Before I could say anything—not that I could think of anything to say—the door swung open, Cadell’s eyes narrowing as he tensed.
Liam pounced. A light shimmered around the door. Liam bounced off it and flew past me.
He rolled to his feet, his fangs down and his eyes a sea of blue. He shook himself. Then he crouched, took a deep breath and sprinted for the door.
Cadell had relaxed when Liam was repelled but now he tensed again.
Liam hit the door with a crash, the light sparking. There was a boom as Liam sailed past me again.
“Liam, that’s enough,” I said when he climbed to his feet.
He gave no sign he heard me, sprinting for the doorway. Another boom, this one louder than the last.
