Page 85 of Cursed

Everything that has happened since I entered the draining room has felt like a dream. When I open my eyes, I rock back into Arden’s embrace, my back to his chest. He holds me tightly with one arm around my middle. With his other hand, he calls roots up from below the foundation and knocks away another guard charging into the room.

As I take in the mayhem, I worry we won’t make it out of here.

Landis is wrestling his father. My incubus’ strength is fading.

Branden and Quade are blocking guards and Mr. Silva from reaching me.

And Rourke has his father pinned to the wall. But I know from what he’s told me, he can’t beat the older dragon by himself.

I have to help my mates, but I don’t know how.

Without the training I needed to learn how to wield my power, I’m at a loss for how to unleash my magic without hurting my mates.

Since I have the most control over shadows, that would be my current weapon of choice. But I’m freaking depleted after my battle with Shade.

Okay… no time like the present to test my theory. So much magic is being tossed around in this large room that it vibrates.

Can all mages feel that? Or is it something to do with my affinity?

I remember Einstein’s theory that energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be changed from one form to another. Could I harness this magic floating all around me? Could I channel and transform it to use for my needs? Is my father’s idea correct that someone with my ability would never run out of magic?

With the thought of filling up my magic reservoir, I glow and sparkle, getting brighter and brighter every second. It takes all my concentration, but it seems to be working. I’m absorbing the wild magic around me. But what would happen if I were to become distracted and lose control? I will find out soon enough as I move to my next step.

I visualize a giant shadowtendril shooting out of my hand. I knock back two guards in a quick procession.

“Shay?” Arden gasps, realizing I’m fully conscious now.

I don’t answer since I’m afraid of losing control of the massive amount of energy gathering inside of me.

Landis groans, and I turn to see he’s on his knees. His shadows are just fluttering wisps around him.

His father’s tentacles reach into Landis’ chest, looking as if he’s about to rip out his son’s heart.

With my shadowmate’s imminent death as my only concern, I break out of Arden’s tight hold and launch over the table and onto Shade’s back.

He cries out in surprise. I dig my fingers into his eye sockets, but he holds my arms so I can’t rip them out.

I’m grateful Arden can keep the guards away from our fights.

A familiar war cry on the other side of the room alerts me that Branden has killed someone. With a sideways glance, I see his father’s viscous blood coating Branden’s hands. The corpse of his adopted father is at his feet.

Quade sees Landis and me struggling with Shade and races over to join. Branden zips across the room to help Rourke.

But the distraction of witnessing Branden’s kill has me staring at my father’s dead body.

So many strange feelings swirl inside me, warring with each other. I wish that my parents had been better people. Then, I also have the ugly desire that I wanted him to suffer as he had allowed me to suffer. Then again, I ridiculously wish I could have talked some sense into him—made him see reason. But I know he was too power-hungry for that.

With the onslaught of confusing thoughts, I lose my hold on Shade. Fortunately, Landis has broken free of Shade’s tendrils.

However, they have turned back on me. And Shade is draining my magic fast. He wants it for himself, adopting Mannyx’s plan for his own.

I wonder if I should overload him with magic, blast him with sparkling, brilliant fire. Could I control my fire? Or, in my spun-out emotional state, would I burn us all to a crisp?

I convince myself that I can focus my energy effectively.

Before Quade can leap and attack, I shuttle my power into flames and onto Shade.

He screams out in agony.

---