“It doesn’t look like you have any residue of the attack spell left,” he told her. “I’m impressed you managed to burn it off. You seemed less than coherent.”
The comment implied the “how” question, but Mal ignored it. She could feel Law coming like a thunderstorm. The air in the courtyard seemed to harden then condense. She heard his footsteps, but the leafy wall of the arcade blocked her view.
His footsteps were all she heard, she realized. No sounds of the festivities, no birds or night frogs or even a cricket.
Holy Jesus. Had she killed everyone?
Her horror must’ve showed on her face.
“Since I’m sure that look isn’t a reaction to seeing Law, I’ll guess that you’re worried about the damage you may have caused. Rest assured,youdid nothing to them.”
“But something happened?”
“It would appear so. Either the spell that hit you did it or something else.”
“How do you know?”
He shrugged. “We’re connected. I can taste your magic. I know death. You didn’t kill them.”
What a lot of gibberish. “Why weren’t you effected?”
“If I had to guess, it’s because I’m a demon. Magic-wielders rarely think to make sure their spells will work on us since there aren’t that many of us wandering your world. No point in making the effort if we aren’t there to enjoy it.”
Mal was just about to ask him to help her stand up since, between her shoes and dress, she didn’t think she’d manage without damaging herself further, when Law stormed through a courtyard archway into the arcade. He stopped to look in both directions, and when he saw Mal, he wheeled and stalked toward her, stepping around and over bodies without paying any attention to them. His face was solid stone, and she couldn’t decide if he was enraged or scared. A tide of power preceded him like a shockwave.
Ah.I’ll take Mega-Pissed Off as Hell for two thousand, Alex.
“Want to help me up?” she asked So’la.
“It’ll be safer for me if I don’t touch you right now.”
She glanced at him. “Discretion? You?”
“Just because I can’t die doesn’t mean I enjoy suffering. At least, not this variety. Your mate packs a powerful punch when he chooses.”
With that, he rose to his feet and backed away, just in time to get out of Law’s way.
“I’m okay,” Mal said just before he yanked her up from the ground and grappled her to him.
Law pressed his face into the crook of her neck and breathed in deeply, as if he’d just drawn his first breath. He didn’t say a word.
“Someone hit me with a spell. It came out of nowhere and went right through my shield.”
She babbled the words, uncertain what to say, especially after their recent argument. She’d wrapped her arms around Law’s neck and clung tightly, as though she were going to stop him from doing something insane.
He said nothing for a long moment. Then his arms loosened minutely, and he stroked a hand over her hair.
“How bad?”
“Fatal, if not for So’la.” There didn’t seem any point to pretending otherwise, and she was making an attempt to be open and honest.
“I kept her heart going, but she broke the spell herself,” came the demon’s clarification. “Not sure how.”
And Mal had no intention of explaining.
Chapter Fourteen
“Where the fuck were you?”Law demanded over Mal’s head. Fury still radiated off him like heat waves off a road in the desert. “How did you let this happen? You were supposed to have her back.”
