Page 77 of The Court of Truth

“I recognize you,” she breathes, and my eyes narrow slightly in confusion. “I remember you,” she reiterates like that will help make sense of what she’s saying, but I still come up blank. “You’ve saved me once before. Not quite like this, but…” Tears stream down her face now, but her words remain clear. “You boarded me and my husband in our store. You?—”

“I remember.” And I do. The first time we witnessed the frenzied vampires for ourselves. They wouldn’t accept my help, or her husband wouldn’t, at least. But that didn’t matter; I did what I had to do.

“I never got a chance to thank you then, but I do now.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I insist, attempting another step back, but her fingers tighten.

“Thank you.”

I nod, grabbing her wrist, and she thankfully loosens her hold.

“Stay hidden,” I order, and she nods, her back hitting the wall behind her as she slumps to the ground, head in her hands as she sobs. It’s on the tip of my tongue to find out where her husband is, but something in my gut stops me. As if I know I’m not going to like whatever answer she has for me.

Pushing my feelings and emotions aside, I turn back to the bloodbath with my mind focused and my eyes narrowed.

The numbers are starting to wane, the barrage of frenzied fuckers finally dwindling. Relief floods my veins as I figure out where to rejoin the battle, but my gaze locks on Brody across the street.

His eyes are closed, his feet are an inch off the ground, and his arms are at his sides. His lips are moving, but I can’t even begin to guess what he’s saying. It takes me a moment to realize what he’s doing, though. There’s a few meters of empty road in front of him, with a thickening line of vampires on the other side of it.

It’s like he’s creating a barrier around us to stop their flow as Kryll flies high in the sky, his breath burning down on them. If he can manage those on that side, we might have a chance over here.

Water bursts across my vision, making me take a step back as I watch Arlo blast a vampire coming toward me. “Stay focused, Addi. I don’t want your men to kill me because you up and died,” he hollers, and I nod, spinning to rejoin the fray when an almighty scream rips through the air.

Not any scream.

Herscream.

Nora’s scream.

My heart shatters into a million pieces as I spin toward the sound, ready to turn into a frenzied fae to save her, but before my eyes even find her among the crowd, I watch as every vampire drops to the ground.

My fingers tingle with fear. Even when I find my sister standing and safe, I have to blink a few times to ensure I’m not just imagining it.

Her scream still ripples through the air, her jaw so wide I’m certain it’s going to snap, but my panic finally slows when I spy her holding hands with Flora, both of their eyes closed as Raiden stands to her left protectively.

A grin spreads across his face as he plants a hand on her shoulder, and her cry immediately stops.

What the fuck is going on right now?

“What was that?” Arlo grunts, pressing his palms to his ears as he grimaces at my side.

Flora opens her eyes first while Raiden turns to face Nora head-on, both hands on her shoulders now as he whispers something to her. Instead of answering Arlo’s question, Flora turns to Nora too, eyes wide as she gapes at my sister.

Really, what the fuck is going on?

Rushing toward them, desperate for answers, I slow to a stop a few feet away when Raiden’s words register in my ears.

“Nora fucking Reagan, you are something else. You are so strong, so freaking insanely wicked, it shouldn’t be real. Honestly, imagine what you could accomplish with practice and training. You are unbelievable. You’re definitely still annoying as fuck, but I’m proud of you. Just don’t go around telling everyone.”

“Nora?” I exclaim, still confused as to what the fuck is going on here, and her eyelids pop open, latching on to mine instantly. “What’s going on?”

I don’t look at anyone else but her. If Raiden’s words are correct, then she’s where my answers lie, and it’s about time I stop letting others talk over her.

“I don’t even know, Addi. I just… he just… I was scared the vampire was going to get you, and then I…”

I take it back. She’s too stunned to tell me a thing, and I need an answernow.

Turning my attention to Raiden, he beams. “Your sister connected with her magic, zoned in on who she wanted to hurt, and dominated the fuck out of them.”

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