Page 69 of Commanding Chaos

I looked at Ember. “Earthquake?”

Massive roots shot up from beneath the foundation, spiraling up Chaos’s legs, wrapping around his body like a boa constrictor.

Boots thudded in the entry, and a silhouetted figure came into view. “I should’ve known not to send men to do a woman’s job.”

22

ASH

“Chrys?” Ember’s voice sounded incredulous, as I’m sure mine would have if I could make words. No way was Chrys the mastermind behind all this. She was our friend, Cinder’s best friend, the nicest witch in the coven. She came to our family dinners when my family was still whole, for goddess’ sake. She was…

The one who “found” Ginger dead. The one who said she’d set up the wards on our house, yet Shade got in with ill intent. Calliope on a cracker. How could we be so blind?

She strolled into the living room, twirling a garden tool in her right hand. “You didn’t think these guys were strong enough to pull this off, did you?” She shook her head in disappointment. “I should have kept Ginger alive and killed him instead.” She nodded at Miles.

Chaos erupted into flames, and I half-expected Chrys to go up too. I should’ve known better. She simply laughed, tossing her head back like he was the funniest little beastie she’d ever seen.

He drew his fire inward, and the roots holding him weren’t charred in the least. “Release me, witch.” Disdain dripped from the last word like it had when I’d first summoned him.

“Now, why would I do that, when I finally have you where I want you?” She strolled toward Miles and clicked her tongue. “I’ll be taking my power back now, boys.”

Holding one hand toward Shade and one toward Miles, she bent her fingers into claws. The guys screamed as the purple sigils ripped from their skin, the magic turning to smoke before rolling into her hands.

Ember sent flames up the length of her sword, but she barely took one step toward Chrys before roots spiraled up her legs and around her body, pinning her arms to her sides. Her sword extinguished and clattered to the floor.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, scrambling for time. Shade lay on the couch, his eyes closed, but they moved beneath his lids. He was either dreaming or scheming, and I sure as shit hoped it was the latter.

“Please.” She rolled her eyes and opened the bag hanging from her shoulder. “Do you expect me to monologue like a movie villain?” She took a skull from inside and ran her hand over the top.

“Mayhem.” With a guttural roar, Chaos flexed. He groaned and pushed, his tendons and veins protruding as he tore the vines to shreds and lunged at Chrys. She stepped back and to the left, but Chaos tracked her. His arms swung out, his talons ready to tear through her flesh.

She flicked her wrist and spoke four words in Latin…four words I knew. Chaos slammed into an invisible wall. She’d trapped him in a containment circle.

He roared again and slammed his shoulder into one side and another. “Release me!”

“Here’s one for you, Ash. Confess, expose, my magic sleuth. I call on you to reveal your truth.” She blew a power onto the ground around him, revealing not only a salt circle with a pentagram and everything else needed to trap a demon, but the cloaking enchantment my dad had used to hide the powerful spell book from me.

“Please, Chrys. We’re friends.” I inched toward Chaos, my hands raised in surrender. “Whatever you think you need him for, I’m sure we can figure it out.”

“Yeah?” She returned the skull to her bag. “The Holland witches are allowed to summon a demon, but no one else is?”

“That was an accident.” I swept my foot toward the salt line. Chrys was faster.

With a flick of her wrist, she called on more roots, trapping me like she’d done to my sister. “How did you do it without their sigils?”

“I didn’t mean to.” The roots tightened, squeezing the air from my lungs. I struggled against the pressure.

“Let us go,” Miles said, his voice weak. If we hadn’t tied him up so well, he might’ve been able to help.

Chrys grabbed my arm. Chaos’s mark glowed deep red. “This is how. Where did you find his mark?”

I clamped my mouth shut. If she refused to explain herself, so did I.

She moved to Ember and pressed the tip of a spade to her chest. “Tell me where to find the others, or your High Priestess is dead.”

“Don’t tell her anything.” Ember worked her arm downward toward the dagger strapped to her thigh. Half an inch farther and she’d reach it.

Think, Ash. Think. My thoughts were scattered. I couldn’t grab onto anything that might help me figure a way out of this. I needed to calm down. To think rationally. To…

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