Page 32 of Mirror of Vanity

Garrick’s expression shifted into horror and disbelief. “Your wounds…” His voice trailed off as if he couldn’t bring himself to say the words aloud. I knew exactly what he was thinking, and a wave of pain and sympathy washed over me.

Gently, I placed my palms on Justice’s broad chest, my fingers trembling as I examined the extent of his injuries. I tilted my head back. “Was it Maggie?” I asked softly, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Justice’s jaw clenched. A scowl darkened his features as he clasped my chin with his fingertips. “How did you know? She’s running with the shadow wolves now.”

Garrick bowed his head, his shoulders sagging. “The demons. They took her, cast a spell on her, and…” He turned his head, his hair falling in front of his face like a curtain shielding his expression.

My heart ached for Maggie, for the pain and suffering she must have endured. I couldn’t imagine the horrors she had faced, the darkness that had consumed her. We had to find a way to save her, to bring her back from the brink.

I turned back to Justice, my hands sliding up to cup his face, my thumbs brushing gently over his cheekbones. “We’ll find her,” I promised. “We’ll bring her back, no matter what it takes.”

Justice leaned into my touch, his eyes briefly closing as he drew strength from my words. When he opened them again, a fire burned in their depths, a resolve that matched mine.

“Justice, do you know where she is?” Garrick asked softly. The Unseelie king’s eyes reflected hope and desperation, his usual air of authority replaced by a vulnerability I had never seen before.

Justice loosened his embrace. His arms fell to his sides as he stepped back, creating a small distance between us. “She and her pack are guarding the path that leads to the Veil of Shadows.” He motioned to the numerous wounds on his body. “That’s how I got these.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, my heart clenching at the thought of Justice facing off against Maggie and her pack.

Garrick briefly closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose as if trying to ward off an impending headache. “She didn’t recognize you, did she?”

Justice shook his head, his expression grim. “No, she didn’t. She remained in her wolf form the entire time, more animal than human, lost to the primal instincts that now control her.” He paused, his gaze distant as if reliving the painful memories. “She’s the leader of the pack now.”

My hand found Justice’s, our fingers intertwining in a silent show of support. I couldn’t begin to imagine the emotional toll it must have taken on him to face a member of his former team transformed into a creature of darkness.

Garrick shuddered. “The demons’ magic is strong,” he whispered. “Breaking their hold on her will not be easy.”

Justice’s grip on my hand tightened. “We have to try. I won’t leave a team member to suffer like this. Not when there’s even the slightest chance we can save her.”

I nodded. “We’ll find a way. Together, we’ll break the demons’ spell and bring Maggie back to herself.”

I didn’t know Maggie, but she’d touched Garrick’s and Justice’s hearts. I would do everything in my power to save her and erase the pain in their eyes.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Justice drew a sobering breath. “I can lead you to her.”

My gaze fixed on the alarming mixture of dried and fresh blood covering his chest. As I gently touched the wounds, my fingertips came away stained a dark red. “Not until we tend to your wounds,” I insisted.

He glanced impatiently over his shoulder. “We should?—”

I placed my finger on his lips, silencing him mid-sentence. “No, we need to tend to your wounds, and you need food.”

Garrick’s jarring voice cut through the tension. “Sawyer, he doesn’t need food. He needs blood. He’s a vampire.”

The weight of his statement hit me like a punch to the gut. Justice required human blood. My blood.

He turned away from me as if the mere thought of feeding on me was too much. He remained silent, not arguing with Garrick’s assessment. The gravity of the situation settled heavily in my chest. If we faced Maggie and her pack again, or even the Grimoire, Justice could die. The thought of losing him again was unbearable.

I stepped closer to Justice, reaching out to gently turn his face back toward mine. “Hey,” I whispered, my eyes searching his. “We’ll get through this together. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Justice’s gaze softened. He leaned into my touch, his hand coming up to cover mine. “Sawyer, I…”

He had risked his life so many times for me. This time, it was my turn, and I’d do anything to protect him. I drew in a steadying breath. “Let’s get you patched up and fed. Then, we’ll find Maggie and end this once and for all.”

I led him back into the castle, parting the row of guards like the Red Sea.

“Sawyer.” He pulled me back, forcing me to look up at him. “You don’t have to do this.”

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