Page 37 of Villainous Greed

Joy Reaper.

Just like her human appearance, her dragon was regal. But when I saw her swollen stomach, I froze. Was Joy pregnant? Since Harvest pulled me out of the cell, I’d done heinous things, mostly to humans. I destroyed many people that day in New York City. I didn’t want to imagine the number of women and children. Yet, I wouldn’t strike Joy down. Not with her being pregnant. Not even to hurt August.

Sofia and the others would cry enough if they saw me. I tried so hard to protect them, only to become… It didn’t matter in the end what they would think of me. They were dead.

When Joy ran toward me, I forced her to the dirt with a spell. “Bound to the ground. You may not move until I release you.”

She roared and disappeared. I kept forgetting they could do that. I would need to strengthen the spell when she tried attacking again.

And Joy struck again, but I strengthened the power of my words when I chanted the second time. She roared as she thrashed against my spell.

My stomach churned. How could I carry out my mission and save Joy while also keeping Isabella fromHarvest? Which foursiblings would I sacrifice for my revenge? My stomach cramped more.

I sensed another Reaper approaching. Creating a magical shield around me, I narrowly avoided the red-tinged scythe. Barron glared at me through my protective bubble and said, “We meet again. Don’t think I forgot what you guys did to Gwen.”

I didn’t play a part in killing Barron’s human mate, despite what he may think. But I had done much worse. I flicked my wrist and sent him sailing as he swung his scythe. My bubble rippled from the attack, then again when another hit came from behind me.

“I don’t care if you’re August’s mate!” a female seethed as she beat her blades into my shield. “I remember what you did to the human world and what you did to Jack. He forgot about me because ofyou.”

Maureen Reaper.

I was indeed responsible for that one. Not that I had an option. Not that it mattered. I kept telling myself that nothing mattered anymore. I stood in those woods without a choice, even as I convinced myself it made me feel better to hurt the Reapers. Doing so would upset August. But their faces, so twisted with fury and hatred, chipped away at my insides. I was what Harvest wanted me to be. I became what I despised, and I could do nothing about it.

Straightening my spine, I sent Maureen flying next, only for Barron and Sebastian to return together. They weren’t talking. They must have realized it wouldn’t help. Instead, they were trying to destroy my shield. I let them try for a few minutes before I sent out a wave of magic to knock them off their feet.

I would be there a while if they didn’t become mortal soon. Again, it didn’t matter. They might be immortal, but I wasalmighty. August had freed most of my power. I felt infinite. I glanced down at my wrist as Maureen, Barron, and Sebastian beat their weapons over my shield. With a thought, I could blow them to pieces and yet, they wouldn’t relent. They kepttrying.I swallowed and wondered. Was I strong enough to yank the last two bands off?

Although my shield cracked from their attacks, I continued staring at my wrist. The second I reached for the bands, Harvest’s protective spell threw me out of my barrier. I gasped. Pain exploded in my head as I smacked into a large tree. Fire ripped up my spine. I thought I had destroyed everything in those woods. I needed to send out more decay.

Why did I attempt to take them off? I knew what awaited me if I didn’t kill August. If I didn’t die, I’d spend many years locked away until Harvest grew tired of what I could do for him.

The loud ringing in my ears discombobulated me for too long. Something sharp pressed against my throat. I opened my eyes to see Barron holding his scythe against my neck. Jackal appeared behind Maureen, who stood beside her brothers, Sebastian and Barron. They glared at me.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Sebastian asked.

“You lost in la-la-land?” Barron questioned.

“She was trying to take the bands off,” Isabella answered somewhere in the distance. “Remove them, Sebastian.”

And he did something I didn’t expect. He yanked at one of them.

“Wait!” I shouted.

It was too late. An explosion caught Sebastian, Maureen, and Barron. I screamed as I cupped my severed limb. Sebastian losthis hand, too, but Maureen and Barron caught some of the explosion on their stomachs.

“Return to me.” The pain of my severed hand was nothing compared to the terror I felt at Harvest’s command.

“No!” I stumbled into the tree as my chest heaved.

“Channel August’s power,” Maureen muttered. “You’ll heal faster. Hades, what am I saying?”

I dug my fingernails into the bark of the tree while blood poured from my missing limb. The compulsion to use my portal chip and do as Harvest said ripped through me like a blade. But I resisted.

“Even if I am free from Harvest, I will still kill you,” I said.

“No, you won’t.”

I turned toward the newcomer’s voice. She was a witch. Beside her were August’s parents.

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