Page 5 of Winterfall Destiny

"Stop the fucking games. You destroyed the Winterfall and Blackwood grimoires. You did this to Andrei to destroy Maeve. Us." Jamie's voice shakes. "You could've just killed us all and Gabriella instead of whatever the fuck you're doing instead."

"No. I did this to protect myself." The First licks juice from its lips and sets down the glass, and I prepare to intervene as the creature approaches Maeve. "And now killing Gabriella won't kill Andrei."

"If he survives," says Maeve flippantly.

"Yes. And if Andrei does survive, he's tied to me. If you attempt to weaken or trap me, Andrei will experience the same result." The First waves a hand. "If I'm unable to move or act, Andrei won't be able to either. As long as I'm restrained, he's in stasis."

"What does that mean?" I ask sharply.

The First points upwards. "Andrei would be as he is now, and for the whole time I'm trapped. Now, that would probably kill him. The boy's body couldn't cope."

Surely now Maeve will respond with something because Jamie's on the verge of laying fists into the First. A new horror raises hairs on my neck—for Andrei to live, we can never capture the First and trap the creature away from the world. As Gabriella had to live to save Andrei from death, now the First needs to stay free to avoid a living death for him.

"Quite frankly, I'm sick of the years I'm repeatedly bound by witches, and I stumbled on the ideal solution. Even if you could find Winterfall and Blackwood magic elsewhere to restrain me, the Winterfall wouldn't help because she'd harm her lover. Maeve's the last Winterfall and would never perform a spell against me now."

"That depends on what you're planning to do," she replies evenly. "Everything happening is bigger than him. Us. I could decide to help against you, and his state wouldn't matter."

The First scoffs. "Why not take the opportunity to live that I'm offering? Jamie's right. I could've killed you. Still can."

Games. Why, why, why? Is she a predator playing with her food? There's no reason the First can't march in and take out Gabriella, even with this plot against Andrei to neuter the Winterfall. Unless there is a reason and the First’s fooling us, and we're the ones trapped this time.

Maeve moistens her lips, a small tell that she’s with us. "You strongly believe Andrei will live if you planned this."

The First leans closer, but Maeve doesn't flinch. "Or strongly believe that if he dies, his death will destroy you. Either way, I win."

3

TOBIAS

The First doesn't stay for more than a few minutes. Apparently the creature’s short explanation is enough, and a quick twist of the knife before leaving. But where? The creature leaves us in a room choked with more negative, painful energy from my friends than I could ever hope to absorb.

The kitchen walls shake as the front door closes, and Maeve leaps to her feet, then crosses to the window to peer out.

"Has it gone?" asks Jamie.

Maeve nods. "Tobias. Take me to Andrei."

Fuck. No. What do I say? I'd readied an excuse that Maeve couldn't see Andrei while she's out of control and in distress. That won't work now because she's the opposite.

"Andrei isn't in a good way, Maeve," I say. "And you know Andrei, he'd hate for you to see him in a bad state."

"If he might die, I'd like to see him before that happens."

"Maeve, what the hell's wrong with you?" Jamie looks up from where he's had his head in his hands since the First walked away.

"Why? Don't I deserve to see Andrei before he dies?" she says.

"No. This. How you're behaving. You're freaking me out because you've totally shut down. I can't touch your mind at all. Did Lex do something to you?"

"Why? How do you want me to behave?" she asks.

"Just show some fucking emotion!" Jamie's voice cracks.

"Why?" she repeats. "Don't you all hate when I lose control and the Blackwood takes over? Wasn't that the point of our visit to Lex?"

"But this isn't you, Maeve," I say, and she sidesteps when I approach her. "You've closed us all out. Holding back how you feel won't help."

"Is that right? Perhaps I've taken lessons from you, Professor Whitlock." I inwardly wince but there, a glimmer of the Maeve she's blanked out. "Take me to see Andrei."

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