“Spoil sport.”
Jed throws a familiar-looking net over Henry and he cries out, sinking to the floor. The net tightens around him, drawing him into a tight ball. Henry ugly sobs into the marble floor. Archan rolls him over with his booted foot. “Call off the creatures,” he growls.
Henry barks something in a foreign language, the sound clipped and angry. “It’s done,” he rasps.
I roll my eyes, a little disappointed, as the creatures slither back under the dais. A hiss leaves my lips as a burn creeps along my wrist. I shove the sleeves of my jacket up, revealing a black welt in the shape of a snake. I prod it, pain flaring along my arm.
Archan grabs my hand and glares at the strange symbol. “I told you not to let them touch you.”
“I didn’t think I did.”
A hoarse laugh makes us glance at Henry, his cold eyes dancing with joy. “Idiot girl, you’ve pissed off the wrong woman.”
I frown, not recalling who I’ve pissed off lately. I’ve been back for twenty-four hours—how much hatred could I have caused? “Who?”
He winks. “The Duchess sends her regards.”
A low rumble of displeasure erupts from my throat at the mention of the floozy blood thieving bitch who was grinding herself against my man for shits and giggles. Jed hurries over, shooting a glare at Henry.
“It’s a curse,” he mumbles.
“What kind?”
He frowns. “Don’t know, Nathan might be able to help.”
The entire gang crowds around me, mulling over possibilities.
“A beauty curse?” Emi wonders. “She’s clearly jealous of what Natia has.”
“Too obvious, a lost love curse maybe?” Jed says.
“Lost love?” I ask.
“It forces anyone who loves you away from you,” Jed explains.
I swallow down the lump of fear. “It’s not intricate enough,” Zac says, looking over Emi’s shoulder. “This is something more primal. A fundamental change that will alter Natia at her core.”
Archan scowls. “We will remove it.”
I’ve already died, what more can happen? My pulse slows. It’s another hurdle, a test, something else I will overcome. “How long before it takes effect?”
Lucifer shrugs. “A few days maybe.”
“Then it’s something else we can put a pin in.”
Archan looks at Jed. “Go retrieve Nathan. Inform him of Natia’s mark and have him bring whatever he needs to remove it.”
I tug my arm away. “We don’t have time to hang around here waiting for Nathan.”
“We can keep forging ahead. Nathan will catch up with us,” Archan says, his eyes seeking mine.
“Fine,” I state with a huff.
“I’ll join you,” Emi says to Jed, her eyes snagging on my arm.
Jed drops a kiss on my head. “Hang on in there, Natia. I will be back like your knight in shining armor soon.” Then he dashes away with Emi on his heels, back through the throngs of stretched flesh and groaning mouths.
“Now what?” I demand.
