Page 49

“Absolutely anything,” Vera snaps, her eyes flashing toward Nick as she tightens her grip on Toto.

My stomach twists. With that wand pressed against Toto's throat, Vera could kill her before any of us has a chance to react.

I glance at Leo, who gives a subtle nod toward Toto.

Her head is still wrenched back, but one hand rests against her stomach, hidden from Vera's view. As I watch, she extends a finger, pointing upward.

I follow the direction of her finger to an enormous boulder perched near the top of the cliff, directly above where Vera is holding her.

I look back at Leo. His gaze flicks toward the boulder, then returns to mine.

Oh, hell.

I think I know what he's planning.

“Your amulet is back in Oz,” Nick bluffs, keeping Vera's attention firmly on him.

“Where?” she demands.

Nick hesitates, and Vera yanks Toto's head back another inch.

“Somewhere safe,” he answers.

“Liar!”

Toto lets out a frightened whimper as Vera's grip tightens.

Then Leo makes his move, launching himself down the path on his powerful legs, heading toward the bend we rounded earlier.

Vera watches him disappear among the trees and lets out a harsh, triumphant laugh. “Such a brave warrior you have there, little lapdog. Maybe I was wrong about that one’s dedication to you.”

She releases Toto's hair but keeps her wand pressed against her throat. Toto's gaze finds mine, and I hold it, hoping she can see everything I can't risk saying aloud.

“You've been feeding on our magic all these years, haven't you?” Nick asks.

Vera smiles, revealing those unnaturally sharp teeth. “Do you know how fortunate I was to find the three of you? Three foolish young men wandering through the forest after dark, without the slightest idea what they'd stumbled into.”

She points her wand at Nick when he edges forward, stopping him in his tracks. “I sensed something unusual about you. Magic waiting to awaken, more than any ordinary human should possess. I had no idea what it would eventually turn you into, but I knew I couldn't let that power go to waste.” Her smile widens. “Three perfectly renewable sources of power, delivered practically to my doorstep.”

My stomach turns. She'd known exactly what she was doing. All the years of missing memories, the exhaustion, the constant feeling that something was wrong with us.

A small stone suddenly clatters down the cliff face, landing in the grass a few feet away. Vera's head snaps toward the sound.

“And you kept us under your spell, using us to stay young?” I demand, raising my voice to keep her attention on me. “Or have you just missed your nighttime skincare routine one too many times?”

I wave a hand in front of my face, gesturing toward hers. If looks could kill, I'd be a pile of ashes right now.

“I couldn't care less about beauty, you imbecile.” Vera's eyes narrow. “I want eternal life. And I would have had it, too, if you hadn't ruined everything.” Her gaze shifts to Nick, settling on his mechanical arm. “Although I must admit, I'm impressed with that arm. Such clever workmanship. Almost makes me regret taking the original.”

Nick goes utterly still. “What did you just say?”

Vera smiles. “Oh, don't tell me you still believe that ridiculous accident story. I thought you might have worked it out by now.”

“You took my arm?” His voice is dangerously quiet.

“Of course I did. Those spells required sacrifices, and you were right there.” She waves her wand dismissively. “I took what I needed and made sure you wouldn't remember.”

Shit. I remember Pullier’s words from a few days ago: She has a room filled with preserved body parts, which she seems to have been collecting for years. Possibly centuries.