“You could have repaid them by killing their children,” Auggie pointed out.
I scoffed. “What would have been the point of that? They were not their parents. I couldn’t blame them for the actions of others.”
“You showed them mercy,” Auggie said softly. “And you wanted to believe they were capable of being better than their predecessors.”
“Yes, well, that didn’t do me much good. I’m still without a soul. With no real freedom.” I frowned. “But killing them wouldn’t have changed that.”
The crowdoohedover another firework, the brightness briefly lighting up Auggie’s face again.
I straightened, suddenly self-conscious of all I had just shared. “I should check with Benedict on our accommodations for tonight,” I said. I nodded in the direction of our host, who’d appeared opposite the crowd.
Auggie nodded a little too enthusiastically. “Of course. Yes.” He put some distance between us. I hadn’t realized we’d been sitting so close. “You should do that.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Okay,” Auggie echoed.
I swung my bag with Therese onto my back. Narcissa leapt to the ground and followed in my footsteps. I glanced back once to find Auggie still watching the fireworks, even though the display had slowed. My heart thrummed in my chest.
What was I doing? I had to stop seeing Auggie as someone so … likable. If I was going to have to see that Auggie’s soul made its way to Lucifer, it would be a lot harder to stomach if Ifeltsomething for him.
Too late, my mind warned.
I needed to get my head on right. This was a job. I would probably deliver Auggie to that address in New York in less than a week. Then I would have my freedom back and I could move on with my life. Without Auggie.
I didn’t like how the thought made my chest ache. I didnotneed this complication right now.
I shook my head. No. I should drive such thoughts from my head at once. Focus on the job. The job. The job with Auggie. The job that might drive Auggie from my life for good.
I reached where I’d seen Benedict a moment ago, but he was no longer there. I searched the crowd, but it was thick with people watching the fireworks display. If he was still in the town square, he was hidden among the throngs.
There was a commotion near the front gate.
A firework exploded behind us, drowning out the shouts of men scrambling up the steps to the ramparts. But as soon as the sound faded, I heard them. Demon-hounds. Not one or two. Dozens of them howled into the night.
I felt a chill run down my spine as I charged for the gate.
“What’s going on?” I asked the nearest man, who was holding a shaking pike in hand.
The man was wide-eyed as he turned to me. “They came out of nowhere.”
“The witch was out there,” another said. “They got her.”
“They …” I pushed through them, sliding aside the small opening in the gate that allowed me to see outside. It was dark, but the torchlight scattered across the field was enough to see the demon-hounds retreating. “Let me out there.”
“What?” the man I’d questioned asked, scoffing. “That would be suicide.”
I grabbed him by the front of his shirt. I felt myself shaking with rage as I pulled his face close to mine. “Open. The. Gate.”
He went pale as he seemed to realize I was one of the witches. “I can’t do that, sir. Not without Benedict’s permission.”
“And you will not get it,” Benedict said from behind me.
I pushed the guard away from me and spun to face our host. “What do you mean by that? My friend was just … those demon-beasts could be ripping her to …” My mouth went dry as I thought of those creatures’ teeth tearing into Freya….
Benedict shook his head. “They don’t kill. They’ll be bringing her to their master. The Ember King.”
I felt a chill run up my spine.The Ember King.
