Page 73 of Sticks and Stones and Broken Bones

“Pitch up and kill them all,” I said.

Hawk hummed, deep and low, like a dragon purring. “I agree.”

Casimir stepped forwards and looked at us all, the red of his eyes bleeding silver. “Deimos is pissed. Just going to warn you, he might take over.” He cocked his head to one side, as if listening to something. That was fucking eerie. “He says he will definitely take over to join in the maiming.”

“You talk to him now?” I asked, narrowing my eyes and trying to catch a glimpse of the God.

He smirked. “We’ve sort of reached an understanding.”

My jaw dropped. “Kudos on the happy marriage but I have so many questions.”

“Not now,” Korbin interjected. “We need to come up with an actual plan.”

“My vote is still pitch up and kill everyone,” I said with a shrug.

Korbin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He muttered something under his breath which had Rook chuckling. Probably about how incorrigible I was or some shit. I didn’t care. I just wanted our girl back.

“And what if we turn up and the coven has laid a trap specifically for us?” Rook asked, his hip cocked and face serious. “What then? We will be no help to Raevyn, and we will probably be forced to suffer some awful fate.”

Hmm. The guy had a point. “Fine, but I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to like it,” Casimir snorted. “But it would help if we’re all on the same page.”

Hawk eyed Casimir with something like curiosity. Those two just needed to get in a room and fuck because the tension the pair of them exuded was distracting. It was sending my powers a little haywire and they were eating that shit up like it was their last feast. The stronger the emotion, the more my powers fed and the more energy I got. I was positively buzzing with the energy I was getting from those two and I wanted to put it to good use.

“Okay. I get it.” Sheesh. Anyone would think I was a loose cannon. I was, but that was beside the point. “What’s the plan then?”

“We will materialise on the outskirts of the abbey and approach with caution,” Korbin said sternly. “We need to get a read on the place before we barge in.”

“Fair enough,” I said.

Hawk grumbled. “I do not like this waiting and looking.”

Had to agree with the big guy on this one. I wasn’t very patient either.

“Once we get a sense of the magic and intentions of the place, we will be able to move in.” Rook moved to the centre of the street and called his power forward. It burst into large churning ball of blue light before settling on the ground like a puddle of stars. I still found his portal making pretty impressive, even after all these years.

Korbin grabbed my arm before I could head to the portal. “Nox, please wait for us.”

I stared into his white eyes and placed my hand on his. I may be a loose cannon most of the time, but I knew when to follow orders too. “Of course. See you on the other side.”

I stepped up to the edge of the swirling portal and had to laugh at Hawk’s expression. He looked like a bear with constipation.

“Have you never seen a portal before?” I asked.

He huffed a breath and shrugged his shoulders. “Of course I’ve seen one before.”

“Then what’s got you hesitating?” Casimir asked, a certain gloat lacing his tone.

“I do not like travelling by portal. I’d rather travel my normal way,” he said with a grimace.

I held my hand out and wiggled my fingers. “Wanna hold my hand?”

He pushed my shoulder. “Fuck you.”

Casimir stepped closer to the hulking giant and did the same thing. “Hawk, we don’t have time for travelling our normal ways. This will get us there in milliseconds. Take my hand and you’ll be fine. I promise.”

I fully expected Hawk to rip Casimir’s head off for suggesting such a thing. Or least rip his arm off or something but nope. I was wrong. After flicking his gaze between Casimir’s face and hand, he grabbed onto Casimir and jumped.

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