Except, he couldn’t quite meet my gaze.
His pause was deafening. I felt like I’d missed a stair in the dark. Ihaddone horrible things with my magic, blood, and ice in my wake. But we all had committed atrocities for the sake of the greater good.
“Cliff,” I murmured, veering closer to his shoulder.
He turned away before I could reach him, dragging a hand over his face.
“Just—give me a minute,” Cliff muttered.
His avoidance hit me like a slap, and I exchanged a glance with Delilah and Ben behind me, embarrassment flooding me. Didn’t I know my own friend? Had Cliff been more disturbed by my abilities than he let on?
No, that was impossible. His distrust for magic had slowly petered out long ago, after I’d saved Jon’s life in the Dottage basement. He’dtrainedme, helped me get stronger. Why elsewould he do that—frivolous entertainment? He couldn’t possibly be so cruel.
Delilah growled in frustration. The smell of singed roses hit the air, making me whirl toward her. Her steepled fingers glowed with a menacing amber light. Whatever patience she’d had for a tactical advantage was apparently nulled.
“Enough of this bullshit, you crazy old fuck.” Her velvet voice was now harsh and cold as she surveyed the two guards and Tammy on the other side of the room. “Clear the room now, and you’ll have a head start you don’t deserve.”
She advanced on Eros murderously and aimed her hand toward his throat, sparks dripping from the smoldering light.
Cliff seized her other arm, yanking her back. “Delilah, wait—”
She jerked in his firm grasp, angelic features twisted. “Let. Me.Go. You didn’t take the shot, so I will.”
She shook him off viciously, her dress doing little to restrain her range of movement—like she was born to slaughter people in formalwear.
As Delilah advanced on Eros again, Tammy seized a pistol from a drawer behind her—and I realized she had been standing there strategically the entire time. She barreled into motion—towardDelilah. I launched forward in the air in the same instant, whispering a spell to launch a spear of ice at the former hunter. The spell grazed her shoulder, the remainder of the ice shattering into the mahogany paneling behind her. Assuming a flawless posture, Tammy steadied the weapon in her grasp and fired.
Delilah staggered, crying out as the shot embedded in her calf. She stumbled, magic flickering out inches from Eros—who had backed himself against the wet bar, fumbling for a weapon somewhere on his own person.
“No!” Ben cried out, panic splitting his voice as he surged toward her.
“Ben, don’t—” Delilah panted, eyes wide. “Don’t give them a reason.”
Cliff crashed to his knees, cradling Delilah in his arms. She hissed, shoving away from him.
“Kill. Him,” she gritted out.
Cliff’s expression crumpled. “It’s not that simple anymore.”
Tammy closed in, the gun leveled at Delilah’s head. Cliff’s arms tensed around Delilah’s shoulders, hope sparking through me when he positioned himself to shield her.
“So,sopretty,” Eros clicked his tongue, exchanging a look with Tammy at length. “I’d hate to see that face wasted, but I don’t take death threats well. Ask anyone.”
“Enough,” Cliff barked, but there was a thread of surrender there, too. “I’ll listen. Just don’t kill her.”
“Cliff, get away from the witch,” Tammy ordered—the bark of a mentor to her pupil, voice dripping with authority.
Eros held up a hand, which startled Tammy. “Fine, fine. Restrain this bitch with the other cargo. We’ll find a use for her eventually.”
One of the other guards approached, producing a zip tie and a strip of cloth.
With a cry of outrage, Ben rushed closer. “Don’t you fucking dare—” He had to be exhausted from his stint of glamour earlier, but he mustered strength for more magic, bursting in simmering light along his hands and arms, casting his face aglow eerily.
Tammy stepped forward to place the gun squarely at Delilah’s temple. “Try it,” she hissed.
Ben swallowed thickly, reducing his spellwork to a faint, surrendering glow.
As one of the guards approached, Delilah suddenly steepled her hands together—one last, frantic attack as she tore from Cliff's arms. Agony made the Latin chants tremble on hertongue, but she pushed through the pain and fired off a spell. The streak of light was aimed in Eros’ direction.
