I glance at Tish, puny in the warlock’s hand. If she wasn’t passed out, I could knock her out of his hand with a spell even with my hands bound behind my back, and she could run away.
When I don’t reply to my father’s demand right away, he says, “It seems you need a demonstration of what’s in store for your pet.”
The warlock creates a ball of green fire with his hand and burns Tish’s legs. Her eyes fly open and she lets out a piercing shriek.
“Stop it! Don’t hurt her, please.”
My father grabs me by the hair and yanks it hard. “Bring. Down. The. Wards.”
“Why can’t your warlock-for-hire do it?”
“The High Witch was clever. She made it so that only the witches who created the wards can bring it down, and that means you, my dear.”
“How do you know about that?” I ask.
“I had security cameras installed in your apartment and people I trust to follow your steps, not that mongrel Igor. I know everything you’ve been up to, including the young vampire from Lucca’s inner circle you’ve been screwing.”
Hot tears stream down my cheek. I can’t believe I didn’t notice my father’s insanity sooner. No wonder he didn’t put up a fight when I asked for my own apartment. He always had the control, and he played me like a puppet. I can’t let him harm Tish. She’s my best friend.
“Don’t do it, Sophie. Don’t free that bit—” She screams when the warlock burns her again.
Rage unfurls in the pit of my stomach. I let it feed the magic that burns in my veins until it becomes a volcano ready to erupt. I recite the spell I memorized from the old book Tish got me, and blue fire shoots from my eyes, hitting the warlock dead center of his chest. He drops Tish as he staggers back and falls, unconscious.
My father jumps away from me before I can burn him as well. Then two different warlocks appear in my line of sight and hit me at once with an energy blast that electrocutes my entire body. I spasm on the ground, suffering the most awful agony that’s so intense, I can’t even scream.
“That’s enough!” my father orders. “I need her alive.”
VAUGHN
When we arrive at Bloodstone, it’s pandemonium. All the students have been evacuated, and Solomon is standing in front of the building, giving orders. The High Witch is talking to Dean, Connor, and a few other members of the Red Guard.
Lucca walks ahead of us, taking charge. “What’s the situation?”
“Jacques has breached Bloodstone and sealed himself in the catacombs,” Dean replies.
“Is Sophie with him?” I ask.
Connor nods. “We believe so.”
My brows shoot to the heavens. “You believe so? That’s not good enough!”
Lucca places a hand on my chest, preventing me from charging Connor.
“He must have the girl. He needs her to break the wards to reach Madeleine’s cell,” the High Witch says calmly. Her face is a cold mask, and I don’t know how she can be so blasé about this situation.
“How did they get in?” Vivi asks.
Dean flattens his lips before answering, “Through the entrance in the old cemetery.” He glances at the High Witch, not hiding that he blames her for this. I do too.
Lucca pinches his nose. “Why is that entrance not locked and warded if it leads to Madeleine’s prison?”
“Itwaslocked and warded,” Isadora grits out. “I put the wards up myself the last time people who shouldn’t have access to the institute broke in.”
Your own daughter broke in,I think, but I don’t say it out loud. There’s no need to drag Niko into this since Sophie broke into the catacombs first.
“It’s beside the point how he got in,” I say. “Why can’t we get to them now?”
“Jacques hired rogue warlocks, and they put a magical barricade that neither the High Witch nor Solomon can break through.” Dean crosses his arms.
