Page 10 of Villainous Greed

I understood. Dirty meant Derrick might stay away from me.

“I won’t sacrifice my one luxury out of fear.” I ruffled Odin’s hair. “Don’t you worry about me.”

“I’m worried.” Sofia tugged at my dress.

“Good. Fear keeps you alert. Being aware of you and everything around is a skill you need as a girl.”

Sensing the massive flow of power in front of us, I shoved Sofia behind me and studied the area quickly. I felt my browsslant as I narrowed my sight to the tree. There! Mouthing ‘Boom’, I watched as the large dead branch exploded into a hundred tiny pieces above us. Odin, Cloud, and Finn jumped back as chunks of wood blew apart and fell over us. With the grace of a feline demon, August flipped midair and landed on his feet.

“August!” Sofia beamed. Although she knew she should be careful around Derrick and his men, she ignored her reservations and took a risk for that boy after one meal.

“How do you always know where I’m at?” August’s black orbs flickered over me.

“Whatever you are, I sense it when close enough,” was all I said. August’s presence was impossible to ignore. His energy, poised and waiting, heated my skin anytime I got in its radiation. His force frightened me. Like me, I knew his power would only grow each day. However, unlike me, he didn’t have his control trapped by another.

“I should sense more of your magic, but somehow I only feel it when you use it,” August murmured, turning away from me briefly as he materialized an apple and tossed it at Sofia. She caught it and bit into it immediately.

“Thank you,” she told August, while Odin and the others were still sullen and quiet from earlier.

“Is your magic concealed?” he asked, cocking his head my way.

Sofia’s smile faded at his question.

“Not concealed,” I said. There was no point in not revealing my dilemma to August. With a withdrawn sigh, I raised my arms, pulled up each long sleeve one at a time, and revealed the four heavy metal bands on my wrists. Two on each arm.“Trapped.Stolen.If you’re here to take my power, I’m afraid you’re too late. Someone else has already done that.”

With a deadly glint in his dark, beguiling orbs, August approached me. I held up my hand. “One more step and I kill you.”

Some of the deep, scary lines left his face. “I like your threats, Boom, but I’d rather you not kill me and disappear on me before I wake…” His gaze peered around the woods. “These woods are strange. When I travel it, I encounter the same marked trees and rocks like I’m walking around in circles.”

My heart sank. Derrick was unparalleled with cloaking spells. Very few could spot it like August, but those that got inside met death. And those that came for us were all a different version of Derrick. “You won’t get any further unless he wants you to.”

August’s jaw tightened. “This ‘he’, I’m guessing, is the one that doesn’t like you to say ‘boom’ and has you shackled like an animal?”

My face felt like it would burn right off. “I’m not an animal!” I didn’t know why, but that was so embarrassing coming from August.

“No, you’re not. You’re a star.” That was twice August had called me that. “A lovely one.”

Quiet Cloud stepped in front of me and scowled. “I’ve seen this before, Nova. It’s the stupid words the men around camp say to the women to get them to do…” Red faced; he didn’t say anymore.

August smirked and squatted down on one knee before Cloud. “Get them to do what?” Lifting my hand, I let my magic hiss inside my palm. Its darkness crackled in the air around us and August’s grin widened as he arched a brow. “I heedthe threat. I’ll shut up, Boom.” August held his hands up in surrender.

I dropped my arm, allowing myself to relax. Good. Getting killed by me twice taught August to listen.

“We should hurry,” Finn piped in. “Let’s not get Nova in trouble.”

“Where are you headed today?” August asked me.

But it was Sofia that answered, “To the river to bathe.”

His mouth slackened, eyes rounding before he masked it. “You wash in a river…?”

That weird embarrassment crept over me, and I jerked my chin up. I’d never known luxuries. As I glanced at August’s clean black shirt and tight fitted pants, I wondered if he ever struggled for anything. “Where else would we?” I questioned, then realized it made it sound like I’d never seen a bathing room before!

August’s head dipped as he stepped closer. “I meant no offense.”

The tension drained out of me, and my shoulders sagged. “Why are you here, August?”

“To see you,” he replied immediately. His eyes drilled into mine with the intensity of flames.

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