Blood bubbled up my throat.
I was drowning in it.
Was this really a curse? Or was Penny Bones actually here?
This pain was all too real. Logic was fleeing me.
Bram’s arms were around me, lifting me off the ground and into his lap. “Pandora, whatever you’re seeing isnotreal. Look at me.” His voice was strained, desperate.
“Aw, you’ve found a few mates and think I can’t hurt you?” Penny laughed again, but only anger burned in her eyes. Just like when she was alive.
Jenni was beside him, her eyes filled with fear. “Pandora, what the Fates is happening?”
“P—Penny,” I croaked before a violent lash of shadow struck my face, ripping it open with one hit. I flinched into Bram’s chest, slumping against him and praying to the Fates that Bones would go away.
“Fuck, Dex, kill that bitch!” Bram barked.
Ironwood snapped, “Voidfire, break the curse!”
She only laughed. “No! She deserves this.”
“No, she doesn’t, but you do.” Skel’s fear magic surged, smacking into her hard.
Voidfire’s laughter turned to screams. She collapsed, terror twisting her features as Penny Bones continued to mock me.
“I don’t need a curse to kill like you do. I’ll let your fears paralyze your organs until they can’t fucking keep you alive any longer.” Skel’s voice rang out.
Shadows tore into me again, making my blood splatter all around us, soaking Bram’s shirt.
“Skel, be quick!” Bram shouted.
“It’s done,” he replied, sucking his fear magic back into him.
Voidfire’s body went limp.
Penny Bones and her shadows faded into nothing but a memory as the curse shattered.
The classroom was silent.
Ironwood took a step back, his face pale as he took in the damages. “You…killedher without a curse.” His voice was hushed, almost disbelieving. “Without even amplifying your magic. Fear demonscan’tdo that.”
“I can.” Skel ran a hand through his black and white streaked hair. “If someone’s trying to kill my mate, you better fucking believe I’ll kill them first.”
He shook himself, regaining composure. “Go.Now. To Headmistress Clearwater’s office. Everyone else, out.” He dismissed the class without another word.
Other demons practically sprinted out of the room as Dex shadow-traveled us to Verity Clearwater’s office, leaving Ironwood with Voidfire’s corpse.
Verity barely had time to ask what was wrong before Ironwood’s call came through. We could hear his clipped explanation through the receiver.
It was a shitty explanation, and I was bleeding all over her floor as my body healed itself.
There wereso manyinjuries from that curse.
“Did she always hurt you like this?” Dex asked, voice strained.
I sighed, thankful for the lack of pain. “This was child’s play. She’s done worse.”
“Fuck,” Bram muttered, holding me tighter.
