Page 110 of Grave Revelations

If she touches you, she dies.

Watch the door, hero.

Azazel tightened his arms over his chest, listening as Rebecca spoke softly, as if to a scared animal, while they moved through the kitchen, pouring water and searching for food.

Noises outside the door had him turning to face the window.

Rebecca.

What?

We have company.

Chapter 72

Rebecca

Rebecca slid to a stop beside Azazel, her throat going dry. It wasn’t Elizabeth; it was her entire night-born army. They crowded onto her porch, pressed together, silently staring back at her.

“There are so many,” she breathed.

“Mindless creatures with no will of their own,” Azazel said. “I can end them with a thought.”

“Don’t,” Sophia’s cracked voice called from the hall.

Rebecca beckoned her forward, and she came haltingly, gaze darting to Azazel several times before she stopped beside her.

“Some of them are my coven, compelled to follow,” Sophia explained. “They would never harm us intentionally.”

Rebecca wrapped her arm through Sophia’s. “We won’t hurt them as long as they don’t hurt us.”

They are a threat, Light,Azazel thought.Wetness glittered in Rebecca’s eyes as she glanced at Sophia before returning her gaze to him.

They didn’t choose this.

“Helena,” Sophia gasped, tugging against Rebecca’s arm.

“You can’t go out there, Sophia,” Rebecca said.

Helena had pushed through the crowd and stared blankly through the foyer window. Her vacant expression chilled Rebecca to the core and sent a shudder rolling through her. The healer had been kind to her, helped her, or had tried at least.

As if responding to some silent command, the mass stepped forward, and several nails began tapping against the glass. Wind whipped their hair and clothing, a light trickle of snowflakes dusting their heads and shoulders in white.

“They’re here,” Sophia said. “Mama and the rest of the coven. She’s been using them to control the weather.”

“Why?” Rebecca asked. “What does the weather have to do with anything?”

“It’s why all the natural disasters have been happening. Elizabeth has been sending out her loyal soldiers to find witches and bring them back to her before she destroys entire cities.” Sophia squeezed Rebecca’s arm. “There are thousands, maybe tens of thousands of them now.”

Az? What do we do now?

The demons can’t get in; most of them. Only Elizabeth’s creatures can breach Dina’s wards. I will end them.

Can you choose which ones? Leave my coven and any of the others who are compelled?

No.

Then it’s too risky. We use our magic, or we escape. Those are the best options.

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