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But I knew Ruya was right about this. We couldn't let Robin rampage her way into darkness. I didn't believe in good or evil. But I had tasted my fair share of black souls, turned bitter and rotten by years of tormenting others. I cared for Robin too much to let her start down that slippery slope. Killing thugs and villains was one thing. We did that all the time, and I felt no remorse over that. But these people…. If she gave into her rage, she'd be no better than the emperor.

"I'm pretty sure they don't know anything," I said softly. "Robin, if you squeeze him any harder, he's going to pop. Then he definitely won't be able to tell you anything."

Cicely's calming magic seeped into my being even as I fed on the terror and fear of the people before us and the rage of my alpha. Robin had to notice what we were doing at this point. Neither one of us was attempting to be subtle anymore.

"What would you have me do with them?" she asked, her voice soft and even. As silent and deadly as a stalking predator. "They've seen our faces. They know who we are. If the emperor didn't know who was coming for him, he certainly will now. Any leader with an ounce of common sense would kill them all."

The man she held in her grip started to turn purple. I wasn't even sure she knew she was squeezing harder. She was just that conflicted.

"Alpha," Sanka said, surprising me with his protest. "I can wipe their memories. Or you can have our other friend outside use his fae mind tricks. You don't have to do this."

Robin growled, and for a moment, the fate of all the people before her hung suspended in time. Then she growled and tossed the man aside—not hard enough to cause mortal wounds, but enough to make him regret mouthing off to an alpha.

"Someone in this place has to know where the asshole fucked off to and what he took with him. And how he knew we were coming," she bit out.

"Downstairs," a timid voice piped up from the back of the group. A petite human woman stepped out and pointed out the door. "Down the hall, in the office. There's a hidden door. He keeps her down there."

Robin narrowed her eyes at the woman, causing the human to shake with nerves. "You'd better not be lying," she informed her.

"N-no," she stuttered. "But… can you please let us out of here, ma'am? I just want to go home. To the real world. Please."

Robin stared at her.

Cicely started signing, pulling our attention to him. Employees? Or captives?

"I don't think they're here willingly," I murmured. "Robin, they reek of fear and hopelessness. And it seems chronic."

Robin closed her eyes in a long blink and sucked in a long, tired breath. Then she looked at the people again, really seeing them this time. "Gods damn it," she muttered. Then she snapped back into alpha mode. "Speak," she bit out. "Tell me what the hell is going on here."

The man she had tossed around earlier got to his feet again, clearly ready to go another round. But he wisely kept his distance this time. "I told you we don't know anything. We're just fucking slaves. You might as well kill us all, if that's what you're plannin'. Cause if you don't, he probably will."

Robin scowled. Then she turned away and headed back out into the hallway. "Wait at the front door," she said flatly. She wasn't talking to her court. "Don't go wandering off or I'll leave you here."

Cicely touched my arm, and I glanced down at him to find him grinning. I shook my head at him. "Don't go getting too excited," I muttered to the handsome blond. There's still plenty of opportunity to commit murder."

Then we headed through the secret door in the library and down to the dungeons to speak with whatever the source of that eerie magic was.

Chapter 8

Ruya

…

itch…witch per…witch person….

I wanted to groan, but I held the sound in. If I let The Mother know I was in pain, she would only scold me for being weak. For bringing it on myself. And if I displeased her, she might take away the little bits of pleasure that existed in this tower. I might not get a cupcake once a year on my birthday, or be allowed to listen to the few movies or songs that were grudgingly allowed… she would stop visiting my room and would keep everyone else away until I thought I might go mad with only my own voice for company. I could endure the pain. I could endure the way my entire body burned when she refused to let me use my magic. What I couldn't endure was the loneliness…

A low, pained groan sounded from somewhere nearby, overriding my worry. Someone needed me. I could never ignore a person in need of healing. My magic flared up warm and needy inside me, and it was only then that I registered the coldness around me, and the fact that it didn't come from lying sprawled on the cold stone floor of my lonely tower prison. Those little prickles on my cheek were snowflakes. And the surface beneath me was loamy earth littered with dried leaves and more snow.

I slowly opened my eyes as the past faded and the present took shape. I wasn't in my isolated tower with the cult. I was here. Wherever here was. With my new family. Or at least… part of it.

The day was bright, in that way only a carpet of snow could ensure. That made the shadow looming over me even more obvious. I sucked in a breath and half sat up, crab walking backward across the forest floor.

"Witch person?" The voice spoke again. Only this time, I recognized it as that strange mental interpretation I got when an animal spoke, and not some wavering dream. "Ground is cold. Your magic smells strange. The pixie is bleeding on my nest."

I shook my head as I tried to put my wits back together. Yukio. Oh, goddess! There had been some sort of explosion. And he grabbed me and took me… somewhere. I'd felt the magic as he yanked me out of reality. I hadn't even known he could do that.

"Where is he?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Yukio? Where are you?" I got to my hands and knees, every bit of my body aching like I'd been beaten by an especially enthusiastic tormentor.

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