“Then listen well. This will not be repeated.”
He finally lifted his eyes, already wearing that insufferable smirk. “Do you always talk like that, or am I just special?”
I didn’t answer.
Footsteps sounded behind me. I didn’t need to turn to know who it was.
Lena came down the stairs wrapped in a blanket, looking both tired and suspicious. She took a seat next to Nadia, whose arm brushed hers.
“What’s going on?” Lena asked.
Before I spoke, Ezra cut in. “If it’s happening in the house, it concerns her.”
I exhaled slowly through my nose. “Very well. It concerns all of us. Sit.”
Ezra didn’t move. I stepped forward—only once, only enough.
He sat immediately. “Fine, man. Ask whatever.”
“You have been careless with your tongue,” I said. “Telling Nadia that killing my brother would be acceptable. Implying I am draining too much blood, that I am harming her? I will not stand for that. I will do everything I can to keep her safe. My actions will speak for themselves. I would never intentionally harm her. And as for my brother—leave that matter to me. I will decide what must be done, and you will not be privy to the details.”
Ezra leaned back in his stool. “Maybe I’m taking Nadia’s safety more seriously than you are.”
“Oh boy,” Lena whispered.
Ezra continued, entirely too confident. “If killing every member of the Sovereign Court—including your brother—is what it takes to keep Nadia and Lena alive, maybe you need to get over your family loyalty and get on board.”
My vision narrowed. My jaw tightened. The room seemed to hold its breath.
Nadia stepped beside me—close, but not touching—her presence a quiet plea for restraint.
I remembered what she said upstairs.In through the nose. Out through the century-long grudge.
I inhaled once. “If it comes to choosing between her safety and his life,” I said quietly, “you may be surprised which I choose.”
Ezra’s smugness faltered.
The truth settled heavily on my tongue. Cassian had betrayed me. He had played a part in putting me in stasis. He had stood by while they drained me of life-force. But I would not wish him dead.
Not yet. The finality of it… I wasn’t ready.
But for Nadia? For her, I would burn entire kingdoms to ash if that is what it took.
“Fine,” I continued. “You claim to care about her safety. Then prove it. You lived with the Sovereign Court for years. What do they want? Truly. It cannot only be my power.”
Ezra hesitated. “Well…”
He spun his laptop toward us. The screen showed a map of Boston littered with glowing points.
“This is every magical signature in the city. They’re tracking all supernatural activity with enchanted CCTV. Every spike, every spell, every anomaly.”
Lena cursed under her breath. “That’s insane.”
“And the bond I share with Nadia? Do you have any idea how to break it?”
Ezra went still. For the first time since meeting him, he lookednervous. “I thought those bonds were permanent,” he said. “Unbreakable. It’s just… rare, that’s all.”
His voice wavered. Sweat gathered at his temple.
