Slicing off his skin one lengthy peel at a time.
A bullet through his chest.
Strangling him with his own shadows until he blacked out.
I didn’t just want to punish Shadowheart, either. Hemlock and Grimshaw were also at fault. The way Hemlock stared at her made me want to gouge his eyes out. Grimshaw’s indifference wasappalling as well, considering how much magical energy he fed off of as he ate her fear.
I wanted to hurt all three of them, but something deep in my soul wanted me to avoid permanent damage. I didn’t know why. She was far too kind to be treated that way.
At least Nyx was there to step in.
We stepped into my office, and I shut the door before inhaling the mingling scent of caramel that filled the room.
I’d had a session earlier, and during it, something clawed at my subconscious so much that I ended it ten minutes early and made my way toward the cafeteria.
That was when I’d seen Pandora closed in by Shadowheart.
Her long black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her round red eyes were filled with anxiety as they darted around my office. She fiddled with the strap of her bag, refusing to meet my gaze.
“Hey," I said softly, offering her a gentle smile. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, but her plump lips were pursed. “Are you?”
“Am I?” My brows furrowed. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You’re in full demon form, and you’ve beenmuttering under your breath this entire time,” she rasped, finally flicking her gaze to me.
My heart lurched in my chest, and my tail whipped behind me in irritation. Reaching up, I brought my fingertips to my horns before wincing. I’d gotten so riled up that I hadn’t even noticed.
Her hand moved up and curled around her throat as she quietly cleared it. She shivered as if a wave of pain exploded from her neck.
She constantly seemed like her throat bothered her. It made me wonder why, but if I lingered too much on the possibilities, I’d want to bring her mother back from the dead and kill her again.
I turned abruptly and walked over to the small fridge underneath my desk and pulled out an enchanted bottle I’d had Joel buy for me off the fae market last night. He brought it over this morning when he dropped in to discuss more dark magic sightings.
“Here, take a drink.” I offered the slender crystal bottle to her, and the ice rattled within the confines as her trembling hands grabbed it. The ice took up the entire bottle from top to bottom, and the water filled it to the brim.
The enchanted iced water bottle was from the Ice Kingdom, and it was high in demand here in Kalista and the Fae Realm, according to Joel. Itwas the perfect gift for someone who clearly needed reminding to drink water, like Pandora.
Every time she drank something around me, I noticed how much relief flickered in her expression. I wanted to help her, and this seemed like a professional way to do that.
“Thank you.” The cold droplets glistened against the glass as her delicate, shaky fingers wrapped around the bottle.
I watched intently as she lifted the enchanted iced water bottle to her lips. With each sip, relief washed over her, the cold liquid surely soothing her throat. Her eyes closed as she drank.
Every gulp she took made my heart swell a little more. I desperately wanted to gather her in my arms, but for now, making sure she had things that eased her day-to-day life was all I could do.
A small gasp escaped her, and she lowered the bottle. Her eyelids fluttered open again as her gaze found mine. “That was…the best thing I’ve ever had.”
"It’s enchanted," I told her, feeling a smirk tug at my lips for making her happy. "No matter where you are or how much you drink, it will always stay filled and cold."
Her hands trembled as she held the bottle back out to me. “That’s incredible.”
“It’s yours.” I gently pushed the bottle backtoward her until it rested against her chest. “Consider it a gift from me.”
“Why?” she croaked, tears spilling down her cheeks as she stared up at me.
“Because it’ll make me feel better if I know you’re staying hydrated,” I mumbled the truth, cheeks flaming with heat as I let my hand fall from her.
