Page 59 of Magic of Sins

Something’s lying on the bed. A curled-up bundle. At first,I’m not sure if it’s just a bunch of clothes that my roommate carelessly threw there. She’s not exactly known for her tidiness. But as I step closer, I recognize Ava’s reddish-blonde hair, the silver strand that’s come loose from her braid, streaked with blood.

“Ava!”

I rush to the bed and shake her gently by the shoulder. She’s probably just resting. She’s spent from all that anger. That’s all.

But Ava doesn’t move, and when I pull my hands back, they’re covered in blood.

Lots of blood.

No. No, no. It can’t be.

“Wake up! Ava, wake up! Ava, please.”

Again, I grab her shoulders. Again, I shake her. Her head falls from side to side like a lifeless doll. Her expression is peaceful, like she’s sleeping. But she is not asleep.

Desperation makes my throat constrict. I struggle to breathe. Tears run down my cheeks.

This can’t be happening.

It just can’t.

There’s got to be something I can do for Ava. Maybe if I gave her mouth to mouth… How does that work again?

Think. Think!

I need to call an ambulance. I should…

“Don’t bother, princess, your friend is dead. Made sure of it myself.”

I spin around. A man’s leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He’s clearly a sin mage. I can tell by the tattoos that adorn his neck and peek out from under his unbuttoned shirt. Snakes and some runes I would rather not know the meaning of.

Though I suspect he’s telling the truth, I jump up from the bed and stand protectively in front of Ava. He’s just three steps away.Three steps separate him from doing to me what he did to my best friend.

“What did you do to her?” I blurt out.

He shrugs indifferently.

“What does it look like? Once she’d called the palace, she had served her purpose. And she was terribly annoying in her anger. I mean, have you looked at the living room? What a mess. I made sure she didn’t lay waste to any more of it.”

Is this some kind of sick joke?The guy killed Ava because she was getting on his nerves?

Anger flares up inside me, outweighing the grief, outweighing everything.

The sin mage licks his lips as if I’ve just served him a special delicacy.

“Hmm,” he purrs. “Smoky and a little bitter. Just the way I like it.”

I throw myself at him. He doesn’t need to fuel my anger, it’s already there. And it blazes strong, like an all-consuming fire. I don’t care if he has a gun. I don’t care that I might die. Right now, all I want to do is cause him pain. Make him pay for what he did to Ava.

My elbow catches him in the stomach. My hand cuts across his face, leaving red marks in its wake. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I fight. Fight with all I have.

The sin mage growls angrily. The taste of his wrath settles dark and earthy on my lips. I spit, trying to get rid of it, and it lands on his cheek.

“Stop it!”

He manages to grab my wrists and hold me tightly. His grip hurts, but I don’t give up. I kick and squirm until I hear someone calling from the next room.

“Is the princess giving you trouble, Syrus?”

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