“You willdowhat I ask without question.” He latched onto my shoulders, though gently, staring into my eyes. “Not try.”
I shrugged him away. “I wouldn’t have survived as long as I did at the fortress if I blindly obeyed. I need to think about things first.”
“Alright.”
“That’s it, then. We.” I sucked in a breath and shot it out fast. “We have an uneasy truce.”
“We do. I’ll take us back to the castle.” His threads snapped away, disappearing beneath his skin.
“Can you teach me to use threads?”
“They’re my special skill.”
“Yeah.” My lips curved down. “Mine has something to do with beasts.”
“I suspect, with enough training, you could tame every single one of them.” He gave me the first true smile since we’d arrived at the castle. “Like you’ve already tamed me.”
That remained to be seen.
Before I could protest, he took my hand and held tight. He flitted, and in a blink, we stood inside the front foyer.
A flash of red erupted on my right, a woman rushing over to us.
What was my old fortress roommate, Delaine, doing here?
Her hand whipped toward my face.
8
TEMPEST
Everythingslowed.
I latched onto Delaine’s wrist before she could slap her hand across my face. Tightening my fingers, I twisted, smiling while her bones shifted.
The world resumed its regular pace.
Delaine shrieked and stumbled backward.
Maintaining my bone-breaking grip on her wrist, I kept pace with her, forcing her across the room. My gaze was caught by a painting hanging on the wall beyond her where three creatures with long, dark green hair spiked through with gold stood in a wooded setting, contorting themselves with grimaces suffusing their furry faces.
When I slammed Delaine against the wall, the creatures stopped writhing to watch.
“You murdered my sister,” Delaine shouted, spittle flying.
“Why do you think I did something like that?”
“My father told me you were involved. I’m going to kill you.” She tried to wrench away from my grip.
I tightened my fingers, infusing them with a touch of magic I hadn’t felt before. It resided in my well but deeper than anything I’d pulled before.
It was hungry.
“Do you need help, Tempest?” Vexxion asked in a deadly tone. “I have no problem adding to my count.”
Delaine’s gaze flicked to Vexxion and stark terror flashed through her eyes. I knew right then that she didn’t fear me. She fearedhim.
“No,” I said. “I believe I can handle this.”
