The citrine calls to me. How am I going to get Corinda out of here? If someone told me two days ago I’d be trying to save my stepsister, I’d have told them they were nuts.
Stacia grabs a broom from the corner and, without touching the diamond herself, shoves the pedestal hard. The gem tips, slides, and clanks off the stand, landing with a dull thud on the console. Dust lifts. Corinda coughs, her lashes fluttering.
“Our system is clear of the virus,” Stacia says, voice flat. “But apparently it lives in my dear sister. She can’t charge a diamond without infecting it.”
Wynd nods. “Everyone else is safe. It appears that when you destroyed the virus in the system last time, you created firewalls. Our servers are fine.”
Damn it.
Stacia stares at me. “Can you take the virus out of Corinda like you did the servers?”
“Most viruses aren’t curable,” I say. My jaw hurts where I hit the trunk. Alana had cured Thorn, but they have a connection that’s beyond this world. I can’t duplicate that with Corinda. However, I don’t want to die right now. “But I can try. I’ll need time within the system.” Maybe I can contact Justice somehow.
“I’ll think about it. For now, it’s time for you to charge this little puppy,” Stacia says cheerfully, eyes bright as knives as she fetches the citrine and turns to place it on the pedestal.
I frown. “Why would I do that? The second I do, you’ll kill me.”
“We’re going to kill you anyway,” Wynd says, casual as morning coffee, “but it’s up to you.” His gaze rakes me head to toe. “I can make it fast, or I can take my time. Slow. Have some fun.”
Slow chills prick my skin. “Do you have any idea what Justice is going to do to you?” I blurt before the thought can be tamped down.
Wynd smiles, and whatever playfulness he had disappears. “No one will ever know it was me, Ella. I’ve got it covered. Kaz’s last thought was a regret for being such a pain in the ass all these years.”
The name hits me like a punch. He killed Kaz.
Wynd snatches my hair and throws me toward the citrine. Agony rips across my scalp. I slam into the console, bounce off metal, and land on my knees. Pain blooms in my palms and legs from the impact.
He stands over me, gun already out. “I’ll shoot Corinda in the throat, then you in the foot, then the other foot, then your shoulder, then the other shoulder,” he recites, voice calm, methodical.
I lift a hand. “I understand. You’re going to keep on shooting me.”
“Yep.” He leans in. “If that doesn’t work, I’ll take your clothes off and convince you another way.”
My gaze jerks to Stacia. She doesn’t even blink. “Aren’t you two in love?” I snarl.
“Definitely,” Stacia says. “But you do what you’ve got to do. Now start charging that crystal. Our entire system needs the power.”
I stand on shaking legs and place my hands on the gem. The stone is warm, buzzing faintly under my palms. Heat travels up my arms, a hum under skin.
Corinda coughs behind me. She sounds like her lungs are full of water.
I press harder and force my will into the task, thinking of Justice, of Alana and Rosalie, of my godmothers, andof whatever little life I can salvage for Corinda if I live through this.
“Wait a sec. Who killed Horace?” I ask.
“Me.” Wynd shrugs. “Horace was in the way. I buried him at Justice’s just to fuck with him.”
“You’re sick,” I breathe.
Now I just have to figure out a way to get Corinda and me out of this before Wynd makes good on his threats. I look up and he smiles.
“This is going to be fun,” he promises.
THIRTY-SEVEN
Justice
Fergus, Alexei, and I ride the elevator down to my secret garage. The air feels heavy here, metallic with oil and old smoke, the kind of silence that makes every footstep echo. The doors slide open and the first thing I see is Bronco, slumped on the pristine concrete, pale and still, the car gone but my SUV waiting beyond it. Wesley Whisper is on his knees beside him, shaking him, trying to wake him.
