I bared my teeth at her. “Why did you kill those people?”
She tilted her head to the side and her unblinking eyes bore into mine in a way that was unsettling. “I have my reasons, all of which I would be happy to explain, seeing as we are friends. But first, I’ll be needing you to put the book down.”
I didn’t move, eying her warily as she removed something from the basket. Quicker than I had time to react, she was holding a silver dagger to Amalie’s throat.
“No, stop!” I held up a hand.
“The book. Now.”
What else could I do? Livia was unhinged. I couldn’t risk her harming Amalie. Cursing her, I gently placed the grimoire on the ground.
“Good girl,” she said, dagger still pressed to Amalie’s throat.
“I did what you asked,” I said in my slowest, most deceptively calm voice. “Now put the dagger away.”
I watched in horror as Livia repositioned the dagger to the palm of Amalie’s hand. Blade severed flesh before I could stop it.
No! No! No!
My scream reverberated across the trees. I hurled a blast of magic towards the dagger. It flew out of her grip and landed a few feet away from us.
Without hesitation, I dove for it. My body crashed against the hard ground. The impact left me winded, but my fingers coiled around the jagged hilt.
She lunged at me, but I rolled and swiftly sprang to my feet. She charged, her eyes manic with fury, but, before she could tackle me, I sent a blast of water towards her, so powerful it knocked her onto her back.
Dagger firmly grasped in my hand and chest heaving, Istood ready and poised to attack. I didn’t know what my next move would be. I only knew I had to keep the weapon out of Livia’s clutches.
“Stay where you are, or I swear to Tuli I’ll drown you,” I panted. Soaked to the bone, she looked up at me. Her face broke into a slow smile.
Before I could ponder it—before I could even move—a powerful pair of arms seized me from behind and pulled me tightly into their body, pinning down my arms. What was unmistakably the lethally sharp blade of a sword lingered dangerously close to my throat.
“Drop the dagger, sweetheart, or I’ll slit your fucking throat,” came a male voice.
I didn’t have to turn around to know who it belonged to—that cocky drawl never failed to get under my skin.
Magnus.
Chapter 46
I didn’t drop the dagger—couldn’t. It was as if the blade at my neck had paralyzed my body.
Magnus was helping Livia.
“Do as the lady says, or I will drive this sword into your pretty neck.” For emphasis, he drew the sword closer so that the blade kissed my throat. “And then I’ll take your head.”
I swallowed, acutely aware of the sharp steel primed to deliver my death. Beads of sweat collected on my forehead, despite the ice in my blood. My vision seemed to blur—I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath.
“You had better listen to him,” Livia said, rising from the ground and dusting herself off, seemingly unbothered by the fact that her entire body was visible through the wet fabric of her dress. “He won’t hesitate. Magnus is a bloodthirsty brute.”
My eyes darted around the scene, assessing. It was futile—if I so much as summoned my powers, Magnus would end me. I had no other options. I released the dagger from my grip and heard its thud as it landed on the ground.
“Good. Now bind her,” ordered Livia.
“How could you?” Hatred was acrid on my lips as they formed the words. Sword still at my throat, Magnus marched me to a nearby pine tree.
“It’s nothing personal. Sometimes love makes you do crazythings, you know,” he said as he forcefully pushed my back against the trunk. He secured my arms behind my body, encircling them around the rough bark. Then he fastened my wrists with wooden manacles, restraining me against the tree.
“I always knew you were as dumb as…” I swallowed the rest of the sentence. The moment the manacles were fastened, I began to feel... off. Magnus smirked at me. I reached for my powers and found nothing. Something was very wrong.
