Page 122 of Magic of the Damned

I could hear part of their conversation as they moved down the hallway, but neither Dominic’s nor Helena’s name was mentioned. I wanted to believe he would have shown more emotion if they were injured or worse. But who knew? Areleus had proven to be a swarm of contradictions.

The slightest sound at Dominic’s bedroom door had me rushing to it. I snatched it open to find Dominic looking pensive. I tried to interpret what it meant. His sister loomed behind him. Both were waiting for me to break the ward but for two entirely different reasons. Stifling the fear her presence caused, I stepped over the barrier and moved aside to let Dominic in.

“Anand?” I asked.

“He’s in his room.” Dominic’s hand moved from its position on his front as he looked over his shoulder at his sister. Helena’s keen amber eyes danced with deadly intrigue, her expression set with ominous determination.

“Peter has aligned with the Awakeners. The shades are his new army, and we are at the mercy of two warring sects who will betray to gain more power and benefits.” Helena bristled.

“I am aware.”

“Are you? Because even with the Conventicle’s strongest, we were only able to destroy five shades. The Conventicle doesn’t have the ability to manage the chaos that will ensue. It is only a matter of time before keeping the existence of supernaturals will be impossible, and then we won’t just be dealing with a civil war but also with humans who will attempt to wrangle some control. The supernaturals will be more than willing to show them that they can’t.”

She was just voicing everything I was sure Dominic had considered.

“The new Conventicle can’t be trusted, and the Awakeners are all tenacity and disorganized ambition. But there are many of them. That needs to be handled if we are to have any chance of getting this under control,” Helena cited, deep-seated anger in her words.

“I know,” Dominic breathed out, sliding past me and dropping onto the sofa. He ran his hand through his hair, making it as messy as the situation. I took several cautious steps from Helena when she eased in.

“Temporary imprisonment would be best, and once this is handled we need to require a binding agreement that their freedom is contingent upon adhering to the Conventicle’s laws.”

Helena’s brows drew together as disgust twisted her features. “What? No. They are aware they are in violation. There must be swift and deadly reprisal. Nothing else is acceptable. It will serve a dual purpose. It will weaken Peter and make a statement to the New Conventicle that we are not to be challenged. They can’t enforce rule the way we can. Let me take care of it.”

Take care of it.

“You can’t kill them!” I blurted. “What is wrong with you all? Why is violence and death always the first and only answer?”

In a breath of movement, Helena’s claws were at my chin and Dominic was on his feet, his own claws extended and glaring at his sister.

Placing her face inches from mine, she sneered. “Because it works and always has. My brother cares about your human sensibilities. I don’t.” She stepped away from me and glared at Dominic. “Continue showing this one the docile version of you, if you wish. But she will not domesticate this wolf into a poodle.”

The insult landed, although I didn’t understand why. Nothing he’d shown me was poodle-like or docile. Were they just saying words? Did an underworld dictionary exist that was completely different from the one I knew?

“Helena, I don’t disagree with you on this. But if you kill them it won’t have the effect you believe. The New Conventicle will rise up because they don’t view us as part of them. It will only support their argument that we are savage?—”

“As we should be. We aren’t human nor should we subscribe to their ways.” She shot me a chilly glance. “Don’t let your human toy be the anchor to your downfall.”

“Luna has nothing to do with my decision.”

“She has everything to do with it, and that’s the problem, Dominic.”

More than she knew.

“Our success today was because we had both the Conventicle and the new,” he pointed out.

“We only need them because you have restrained yourself. I don’t like this version of you, Dominicus. Your human has caused more damage than just taming you. Whatever she is, I hope it will be worth the harm she has caused.” For the first time since I’d met her, she displayed genuine concern for him. Her approach toward him was gentle and assessing. “You’ve helped me so often. Let me handle this for you. She’s in your system and it’s blinding you to the problems she’s causing. This can’t go on for much longer. Let me take the burden.”

“You will not hurt Luna,” he whispered with conviction. Helena looked at me once again before giving a nod of concession. I didn’t trust it.

She turned to leave, looking over her shoulder as she tossed out, “Perhaps Emory will offer his assistance since mine was declined. If it weren’t for the Awakeners showing up, are you confident he was there to protect your Luna? I’m not so sure.”

It was exactly what I thought. The dhole kept me from being abducted by the Awakeners, but it didn’t mean his intentions were to keep me alive.

With her departure, I tugged out a strand of my hair and held it out for him. Without a response, he took it from me and made the magical barrier. I wasn’t safe in the house with his family, and he knew it as well. I paced for several moments, Dominic watching me from the sofa.

“There are at least forty more shades out there.”

He nodded. “The number of Awakeners at Peter’s disposal is the wildcard.”

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