What was I missing?
As I reached for the door, chilling swirls of energy came into view. My hand, my arm. Dark, shadowy, semi-translucent wisps snaked around my body. I could feel it, a power thrumming like the pulse of somethingawake.
What in the actual hell?
I halted, utterly stunned.
Okay, okay, okay . . . don’t panic. Breathe. Just breathe.
I tried to ground myself. Everyone outside had seen this.No wonder they’d looked like they’d seen a demon wearing my face.
Fuck.
You are your own master, Carwynn.Alvar’s words snuck back into my head, as clear as if he were standing beside me.
I smothered that lurking crocodile—the one that always waited for me to fumble.
You know what?Fuck it!I was so done being on edge, so done hiding every shred of who I was. What if I seriously said,fuck it? Would that really be so bad? Sure, I’d risk drawing the attention of the Skell King. But, he wasalreadyhunting me. I wasn’t dumb enough to think the Dullahan incident was mere coincidence.
HidingwhoorwhatI was seemed moot at this point. I’d rather die clawing out some Skell asshole’s eyes than live life tiptoeing around in fear.
So . . .Fuck. It. All.
I twisted the knob. Determination drove my feet down the long, marble hallway to Lochlainn’s office.
Just as I reached the doorway, a Luckman suddenly darted through, nearly colliding with me.
“Woah!” he gasped and flung himself back against the wall. His eyes bulged.
I caught a glimpse of myself in a round mirror above his head. They had all seen a phantom—me. I was haunting.
The dark power possessively coiled around me with an aura that crackled, almost electric.
My body was in reverse—my soul worn on the outside.
My amber eyes glowed, not softly, but with dangerous illumination that could scare any evil back to hell.
Seemed Luckmen were easily spooked.Good to know.
I’d lived among spirits my whole life, thrived in their darkness. So my reflection didn’t phase me. If anything, I felt elated.
Istepped into the study. The room dimmed and lightened all at once.
I wasn’t exactly sure how to flip the switch on or off to whatever power I’d dipped into, but as I stood inside the large room, it suddenly felt too small for me.
Lochlainn leaned over his desk, two palms flat on the surface. Like he were holding the whole damn world in place. To his credit, his face gave nothing away. Just those focused, calculating eyes watching me.
Pogue stood a few feet behind him, leaning against one of the bookshelves. At first, his face twinged with something similar to concern. But it didn’t last. That look swiftly grew far more serious, his lips flattening into a hard line.
Lochlainn’s mouth cracked open, ready to speak?—
“Two of your men manhandled me in the market,” I spat, my voice a dagger of ice. “Did you know that?”
Pogue pushed off the shelf, stepping forward.
Their silence was loud.
“Call off your dogs,” I snapped. “Now!”
