Her death fog fell from her palms. It bubbled and churned in a black mass over the study floor, clawing its way toward the books lining the bottom shelves.

  Vasso straightened in his chair, his smoke-gray gaze darting from the mist back to her.

  “There’s more,” she said. He worked his jaw, his brows scrunched tight. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  “No!” Her flame thrashed under her skin. Vasso cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell. Please… continue.”

  With every passing second, the crawling heat of her flames snaked through her body. Creeping… begging. “Can you control the fire?”

  “The what?”

  “The black flame—you can control it?”

  His steel gaze bore into her, and he stood. Vasso’s face was so serious it looked like a snarl. “Of course I can control it.”

  Sera held out her palm and summoned a flicker forward. Black flame burst from her fingertips. She breathed deep, trying to control the heat overtaking her. Perspiration dampened the nape of her neck, her chest. Moons, she was hot. This thick gown wasn’t helping either.

  “Bloody Shadow,” Vasso whispered.

  Yes…

  His voice was like a switch, and her flames jumped to the floor, igniting the fog around them. “I can’t control it. Put it out!”

  The demon lord pointed his palm to the floor and released his magic. A dull static raced over her skin. This sensation was… strange. Although their darknesses appeared the same, there was a difference between the two. His flames danced beside hers. She dared to glance at him, not sure what to expect. But he looked curious. Not scared or disturbed, but fascinated.

  Vasso gripped his fist tight, and the flames, mist, fog—all of it disappeared at once. He plopped into his chair and undid the top two buttons of his black collared shirt. “I need another drink.” At once, his glass refilled, a full finger more than before.

  He slid her a glass, and this time she took it. Call her a fool, but she needed one too. It had been… How would she describe it? The control he had: She wanted it. She wanted to be able to summon and extinguish like he did. To know for certain that she wouldn’t harm anyone ever again. Her magic had been used by reflex, or in a rush of adrenaline or panic. Never willingly. Not since she’d harmed him.

  “How long ago did you manifest?” he asked.

  “A few months ago.”

  “What happened when you did?”

  She sipped her liquor. It burned the entire way down, and she was grateful for it. Sharing this much had never been the plan, but he wasn’t running or killing her. “I burned down a whole village and killed a bunch of innocent humans.”

  Sera choked on the lump in her throat, taking a long sip of her drink to push it down.

  “Are you okay?”

  Time slowed. Sera regarded the demon lord sitting before her. From his long fingers to the way his shirt stretched over his lean, muscled shoulders, to the patch of chest that showed at his collar, leading up his neck to his blade-sharp jaw. Why? Why had he chosen to ask her this, out of all the things he could have done or demanded? Why her magic? And why… why had he asked if she was okay?

  No one had asked her that. Not Dominick, not Nora, especially not her mother. But here, this demon lord she had known for less than a day was asking if she was okay, and Shadow help her, she wasn’t.

  Her voice cracked. “No, I’m not.”

  “Who else knows?”

  “My sister,” she rasped. “My mother and my best friend.”

  “Not your bodyguard? The Council?”

  Sera released a breath that sounded more like a strangled laugh. “He’s not my bodyguard, but no. Alistair doesn’t know.”

  “I see.” Vasso swirled the last bit of his drink before swallowing it down. “I took out half the Emerald Glade when mine manifested, and I had the greatest teacher in Gehenna at my side.”

  “That was you?” That meant he had to be at least two hundred. Sera regarded him again. Demons aged much slower than witches and warlocks, but he didn’t look much older than Al.

  He chuckled and pushed back that strand of hair that seemed to always be flopping on his forehead. “You’ve seen what the magic does. It’s not like I meant to.”

  He can teach you.

  Sera slumped in her chair and took another swig. This was either the stupidest idea she’d ever come up with or the most brilliant.

  “Will you teach me?”

  Vasso barked a laugh. “That’s a big fucking ask.” He crossed his arms. She couldn’t stop herself from admiring the curve of his cheek, the way his eyes danced in the candlelight. He had a deadly calmness to him. Even the white of his hair was a bright contrast to the dark study around him. He reminded her of a poisonous plant, made to attract… then kill.

  “You’re the only person I’ve ever seen with this power,” she said. “Not just seen but even heard of. I’ve scoured everything I could find in the Citadel library.”

  “It will change you.” His tone was serious, those sharp features back in place.

  “My life changed the day it escaped from my body.”

  A muscle twitched in his cheek. “You possess witch magic as well?”

  She nodded. Vasso studied her, tapping the finger with the skull ring on his bicep. Without warning, a burst of ice-cold air shot at her. Sera yelped and snapped her barrier in place. She would kill him. Rip him to shreds, slash more than just that tiny scar on his cheek.

  “I’ll help you,” Vasso said with a smirk before she could let out a string of curse words.

  “Was that supposed to be a test?”

  “You can’t tell your bodyguard.” Vasso held out his hand.

  “That’s your price for helping me?” she asked.

  “Afraid you’ll fail?”

  It seemed too simple. She was missing something. If a bargain was that simple, why would anyone not bargain with a demon? And why didn’t Vasso want Alistair to know he was helping her?

  Sera knew why she didn’t want Alistair to know, and Vasso had already confirmed that Al didn’t. There was definitely something missing.

  What she didn’t need was for Lord Vasso to consider a harsher price. Something that would get her into worlds of trouble, enslavement—who knew.

  Sera glanced at his hand. So unassuming, a simple handshake, but this would be binding until the deal was done. Sera grasped her raven pendant, zipping it back and forth on the string.

  It is the only way, her magic hummed at her. Shadow almighty, she hoped this wasn’t a colossal mistake. If she broke it, if Al found out he was teaching her, she’d be bound to him.

  Vasso’s hand remained extended. That ruby ring stared at her, and the sly grin on his face dared her to take the deal. She’d never wanted this power, but if there was a chance she could learn to use it, keep it from harming the ones she loved over and over… she had to do it.

  Sera grabbed his hand. For a moment, there was nothing. Then his eyes flashed from gray to bloodred, and a searing pain shot through her arm, down her shoulder to the bottom portion of her spine. “Moons, that hurt.”

  “Well, I couldn’t brand your hand, now, could I? Someone might see it.”

  Fuck.

  Chapter thirty-four

  Dominick

  Dominick paced in a grief-stricken daze outside the arched doorway to the lifelines pool. He should already have reported to his post, but Theo had promised he would pull Sera’s thread first thing this morning, and that he’d try to find Colton’s.

  He couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t, until either Colton’s remains arrived to be burned or Theo confirmed it. He’d been up all night tossing and turning, keeping Theo up with him.

  A squeeze on his shoulder had him jumping. “Shadow, you scared me. Did you find her? Colton?”

  Theo rubbed his brow. “Not exactly.”

  “Theo, I can’t do this right now. Tell me… Is she dead?” Nausea rolled up his gut.

  “She’s definitely alive, but… Dom, did you know she’s golden?”

  “Are you sure you searched for the right one?” Dominick asked. Those with golden threads could be pulled only by masters of the art. Some spell to keep others from spying on the Council members.

  “Positive… I picked her out of one of yours.”

  Despite the relief he felt, knowing that Sera was at least alive, he couldn’t help the blush that crept across his cheeks. Shadow only knew what event in Dominick’s past Theo had viewed in order to find Sera. “Sera basically has zero magic. Why would she be blocked?”

  Theo glanced around the main entrance of the Ogdelo. Dominick followed his gaze and noticed for the first time that morning that those winged beings, with their golden armor and giant swords, were all over the place.

  “Come on.” Theo grabbed his hand and all but dragged him out to the side garden. “I don’t know who did it or why, but your friend has been blocked. No one can pull her strands. They’re still present, so she’s alive, but I can’t see where she is or what she’s doing. Have you ever had anyone pull her before?”

  Dominick rubbed the heels of his palms against his eyes. The sky was annoyingly bright and chipper for how on edge he felt this morning. Even the birds chirping in the topiary were making him jump.

  “No, she’s never had to be pulled. Sera’s always been here with me.”

  “Someone is protecting her, then, or at the very least, they don’t want someone knowing whatever she may have done in her past.”

  “Lavinia…” Dom said. He couldn’t think about this right now. His head was beginning to pound, and those damn birds wouldn’t shut up. “What about Colton?”

  Theo shook his head. His eyes were already bloodshot. “I… Dom, I’m sorry.”

  A sob broke from Dominick. He sank to the ground.

  “Shh, I know.” Theo sat beside him and threw an arm around his shoulders.

  He was really gone. Colton. Out of the two of them, how could he be the one to go first? Colton had always followed the rules, covered his ass. He was powerful, deadly with a weapon. How could this have happened? And worse… oh, Shadow… how was Dom going to watch his brother burn?

  “Dom, listen, I know this is hard, but I’m going to need you to get yourself together.” The words were harsher than the sympathetic look Theo was giving him.

  “How do you expect me to just pull myself together? My brother is dead, Theo… Sera hasn’t responded in days… just… fuck!” Dominick’s robes were rough against his cheeks and nose. Shadow, it hurt. It hurt so fucking much.

  “Dom, this war is going to get a lot worse. More threads are being cut every day, and every cut we must report directly to the master. At first I thought it was because of the battle… but the threads, they’re still not matching the casualty reports.”

  “Still more?” Dominick dared to ask.

  “More. A lot more.”

  The skin prickled on the back of his neck and up his scalp. He tried to wrap his head around it. The aliato in Lavinia’s house. Their constant presence throughout the Citadel. Sera’s lack of response. More threads being cut than reported to the coven populace. Colton dead… it was too much for him to make the connections.

  “We can’t tell anyone,” Theo continued. “Have you noticed the extra Legion members standing guard?”

  Dominick shook his head. “I guess I haven’t been paying attention. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s been a lot. Don’t worry about it.”

  “How can you be so understanding?”

  Theo crouched before him and looked him in the eye. “Shouldn’t a warlock be understanding of his lover?”

  “I feel like I used you,” Dominick answered. “I seduced you into helping me.” Moons, it was good to get that off his chest. He couldn’t deny that his feelings for Theo were growing stronger than with any other tryst he’d had.

  Theo gave him a soft smile and wiped away a few tears. “You think I was so taken by your good looks that you conned me into helping you?”

  “I don’t know what I think anymore.”

  “You’re not the first warlock to ask me for a favor.”

  Dominick sighed and grabbed Theo’s outstretched hand. “I’m a fool,” he said and kissed Theo under the sun. “Thank you,” he whispered. “For everything.”

  “Always.”

  “Will you come with me… to Colton’s burning?” Dominick held his breath. This would be too much. He was asking too much of Theo.

  “You want me there?”

  All he could do was nod.

  “I would be honored.”

  Dominick looked at this beautiful warlock in front of him. He was unsure of how he would tell his parents about it or what his father would do, but trying to navigate the burning without Theodore would be impossible.

  “We’ve got to get to our posts. I’ll meet you at your flat after?”

  Dominick nodded, and the two oracles climbed the white marble steps back into the pool house.

  Chapter thirty-five

  Seraphina

  She hoped Al was still asleep. Ever so slowly, she turned the metal doorknob to their room. As soon as the latch clicked open, the door was practically ripped from the hinges.

  “Where the fuck have you been?” Al growled at her, almost pulling her arm out of its socket as he jerked her inside.

  “Hey!”

  “I swear to every fucking god I’ve ever heard about, Seraphina…” He was pacing the bloodred carpet. Shirtless and pacing and angry. “Where the fuck were you? I woke up and you were gone.”

  “I told you I had to go see what he wanted.” She folded her arms around herself, her organza puff sleeves bunching uncomfortably. She couldn’t wait to get out of this gown.

  Alistair stilled. “And what did this lord want from you?” Snik jumped up on the bed and growled at Alistair, his giant ears pinned back.

  “I think you need to calm down.” She backed up a step, her hip hitting the writing desk behind her. Snik snorted in agreement.

  “You want me to calm down…” He placed his hands on his hips. A deadly look crossed his face. “I am surrounded by my weakness. I almost died yesterday, and when I woke up, you were gone and I was covered in these…” He turned, and Sera saw that his entire back had broken out in hives. “From your little pet over there. Sera, I thought you were dead.”

  Oh, she was not going to stand for it. Who did he think he was, speaking to her like that? “You leave Snik out of this.” Sera rose her chin and met his gaze. “In case you don’t remember, I did that to save you. And I am not dead.” Her dark magic snapped to her palms. Both of them needed to calm down. He looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel. “Turn around.”

  “What?”

  “Alistair Alcott, turn around.”

  His jaw fluttered in irritation, but he listened at least. Sera swiped a fork off the tray, which had been left there overnight. She felt a little bad for making him worry, but not enough for that tone to be considered appropriate.

  He gave an exaggerated sigh but didn’t say anything.

  She inspected the nasty patches of red hives on his back. And what a beautiful back it was. Planes of thick muscle cradled his spine. His shoulders were clearly defined. No surprise there, with how tense he was. She lifted the fork and began to scratch.

  Alistair groaned. Something deep and primal. She’d be lying if she said the sound of him didn’t instantly make her squeeze her thighs together. “Can you be calm?” she asked, continuing to scratch.

  “I’ll be whatever you want me to be if you keep doing that.”

  “Good boy.” Al shot a look over his shoulder, and she decided then and there that she would absolutely use that phrase again. “Now, if you’ll stop bellyaching, I’ll tell you what the demon lord wanted.”

  His muscles rippled under the fork she kept raking across his skin. She wished she could use her nails… her teeth. But Sera was terrified, knowing what that would do. She shared magic with a demon lord, which made being around Al infinitely more complicated.

  “So, what was the price for my life?” His shoulders flexed as if he were ready to take a blow.

  Sera sighed and dug the prongs into a red patch on his ribs. “All he wanted was to see my magic.” Alistair spun to face her, his brows up to his hairline. “And before you ask, ‘Why would he want that?’ the answer is, I have no idea. He didn’t share his reasoning, and I didn’t ask.”

  “That’s all? You’re sure?”

  She hated lying to him, but the brand on her spine burned. “That’s all.”

  “I don’t trust him. The minute I can travel, we’re gone. You hear me?” He was back to pacing. Snik’s head followed him back and forth, a weary look on the goblin’s face.

  “There’s only one problem with that.” She placed the fork down. “I still don’t have the doorways marked.”

  They’d found Ophelia. His job was done… but hers? She wished the oracle had told her something more. The only thing Ophelia had told her was that Vasso would help her. It wasn’t the best plan, but it was a plan. She could try to convince him to give her some locations.

  Part of her wanted to mark the map where this manor was, just so she could say she’d found a doorway. She’d be punished for the lie, but it was entirely possible that it wouldn’t be one. There could be a doorway somewhere deep in this manor.

  “We can figure that out once we’re not under this roof.”

  Sera crossed the room and sank into the mattress next to Snik. The goblin brushed his claws through her hair. “Or I was thinking maybe I could ask Lord Vasso?”

  “Over my dead body you will.” That rage was back in his face.

  “This is my mission, Al. I should get to decide how I want to complete it. Regardless, unless I come back with at least one doorway, the Council isn’t going to send a team to save Nora. You know this.”

  “Minnow, you don’t…” He softened his voice. “You don’t have any magic to protect yourself.”