Page 76 of Night of Death and Flowers

She gasps for air; her shadows a flurry of glittering darkness as mine ribbon from my hands, fusing with hers.

“I’m not powerful,” she divulges, vulnerability cracking in her voice. “I was useless against Edwardo. I’ve been a fucking liability, and your magic depleted the moment I needed it to kill Rourne.”

“That was me. My siblings took their powers back, and it weakened me temporarily.”

Her shadows quake, burrowing deeper as she loses confidence in our power. “Nonetheless,” she says. “I was useless against Edwardo, even with my powers.”

I whip my head around as footsteps shuffle from within the trees. Someone’s watching us. I close my eyes, sensing their racing hearts and their magic—my magic.

“Someone’s here,” I whisper as two figures emerge. They halt upon seeing me, and Calista backs toward the house, her instinct to protect her loved ones igniting.

They stare from the tree line, sharing hushed whispers when they see me. Their panicked gulps widen my grin. “Come out,” I order, and the older boy pushes the girl in front of him. Coward.

“We, uh, did not know you were here, God of Death,” she says, her stare passing from me to Calista, confliction wrinkling her soft, tanned features.

“I will not stop you,” I say, my voice booming. “Go ahead.”

The girl hesitates and the boy steps up beside her. “W—we don’t—I mean, you are, and well we are,” she splutters, unable to finish a fucking thought.

“Finish them,” I command, and the pair straighten their posture. “Or you do not deserve my power.”

Calista glares at me, slack jawed.

I step back as they approach the house, and I lean against a tree, my eyes alight as Calista’s magic bubbles over, searing hot in her veins. Her energy tornadoes my powers from here, still fused together.

I catch one last glance before she turns to Briar, her shadows poised like vipers.

Good girl. Now let’s see what you can do.

TWENTY-NINE

Calista

What the fuck was I thinking, letting Death get so close? Allowing him to run his fingers over me…

I hold my breath at the thought, anger seething into my veins like liquid fire. My thighs clench against my desire, humiliation spreading through me.

I shoot him a venomous glare as he casually leans against a tree, as if our lives aren’t in danger. So much for not letting me die here.

Shadows ripple in and out of me as Briar and Cordelia get closer. I stand firm, blocking the path to the house.

“Is this some kind of trick?” The wind whips at my face as Briar steps forward. “You killed the girl in the boat,” he states, then glances back at Azkiel, gulping. “You hold an ethereal power.”

A loud caw sounds from the branches above, and a flash or iridescent, ebony feathers flap toward us. Neither of them notices when my crow lands on the vine-strangled path behind them.

I clear my throat, decay magic sliding into my fingertips. “Why don’t you come closer and find out?”

“We’re good here,” he says, and Cordelia nods, her huntress eyes narrowing on me. “Where are you friends? Too scared to come out?”

Azkiel chortles from behind them, and I clench my teeth so hard I’m surprised they don’t shatter.

I jolt when a hand lands on my arm, and I turn my head to see Drake, his breaths heavy. He looks at Azkiel, then whispers, “I told you not to trust him.”

“Maybe focus on them,” I hiss, turning in time to see shadows whip from Briar’s body in ribbons that slash through the air before winding around Drake’s body.

He screams under the constriction, his body writhing. “No!”

My magic uncoils from my core, and with each slice of darkness erupting from my hands in an uncontrollable net, the path beneath us vibrates.

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