Page 12 of Mastering Mayhem

The moment the thought entered my mind, my chest pinched, an agonizing ache spreading through my body. Ember was mortal. Even if I found a way to stay in this realm, I would have to watch her grow old and die. For a moment, I forgot to breathe.

I couldn’t bear it. I refused to think about it.

“Are you okay?” She caught my gaze. “You look like you want to punch something. That, or you ate a bad burrito and need to find the closest restroom.”

I straightened, regaining my composure. “I’m fine. My bowels are also fine.”

“Good,” she said as the others joined us outside the van. “Ash, Chaos, head to the front desk and get us one room. Just one, okay? Don’t get greedy.”

Her sister gave a mock salute.

“The rest of us will wait in the lobby.” She looked from me to Miles and Shade. “Be as inconspicuous as possible. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Got it,” Shade said, and Miles nodded his understanding.

I arched a brow. “Anything for you, my feisty fire witch.”

A ghost of a smile crossed her lips before she cleared her throat. “Let’s go.”

“Hold on. We need to set up a ward on the van so nothing gets stolen.” Ash pulled a bottle from her bag and walked around the vehicle, sprinkling a fine dust onto the windows and doors.

“Cast it together?” Ember asked, reaching a hand toward her.

“No.” Ash returned the empty bottle to her bag. “We need to save our vim, so we can break the ward on the auction house. Miles? Shade, are you up to it yet?”

“I’m good.” Shade clutched Miles’s hand, and they recited the spell aloud. The energy around us thickened, dancing across my skin, before they focused it on the van. They were strong witches, but their power wasn’t nearly as potent as the Holland sisters’.

The fact didn’t seem to bother them in the slightest.

We made our way inside the hotel, and I sat on a small sofa next to my witch while my brother worked his magic with Ash. Resting my arm on the back of the couch, I pinched Ember’s neck, massaging the tension from her muscles.

She sighed, sinking farther into the cushion and closing her eyes for a long blink. “When we get to the room, can you research the people in charge of the auction? We need to know if they employed a witch to put the ward on the building or if they’re witches themselves.”

Miles patted his laptop bag. “I’ll see what I can find.”

“We’ve got a few hours before the auction starts, and I want us to be as prepared as possible.” She touched my hand and scooted away. “I’m good. Thanks.”

Ash smiled triumphantly as she approached, holding up two small pieces of plastic. “That was easy. Big Oil Boyd is staying in the penthouse. Come on.”

We followed them to the elevator, and Ash tapped the card against a small box inside before pressing a button engraved with the letter P. It lit up, and the doors slid shut.

The elevator ascended rapidly, making my stomach feel as though it would slam into my pelvis. Pressure in my head built, and as I moved my jaw, my ears popped. A ding echoed through the small space, and the doors opened, revealing a large room with paintings and ornately framed mirrors hanging from alabaster walls.

A scent reminiscent of cloves and ginger filled the air, and glorious silence hung like a warm blanket over us, putting me at ease. Three closed doors indicated multiple rooms in the penthouse, and a large archway opened into the shared living area.

“This way.” Ash motioned for us to follow her through the arch. “Can you believe this is considered one room? It’s bigger than our apartment. It even has three bedrooms!”

“I can’t believe you got the penthouse.” Ember stood in the center of the room, turning in a circle. “I told you not to get greedy.”

Ash shrugged. “It was Chaos’s idea. I mean, we’re already stealing from them. Why not go all out?”

“Room service will be delivering six steak dinners in half an hour.” My brother wrapped an arm around his witch’s waist and kissed the side of her head.

Ash leaned into him, resting a hand on his chest. Why could she accept their bond so easily, yet Ember fought ours? I needed a moment alone with Chaos to find out how he did it.

“Steak?” Ember rested her hands on her hips. “If Hecate hasn’t already abandoned us, she sure as hell will now. How can you say eating steak is for the greater good?”

I sank onto the loveseat and stretched my arms across the back. “You almost died today. A Formorian nearly drained every ounce of life from your body to resurrect a long-extinct species that has no business in this realm or any other…and I will never forgive myself for allowing it to happen.”

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