Page 131 of Anchor

“I’m afraid this requires eye contact, and your complete willingness to submit.”

I blinked, only to realize that my eyes had been closed as I battled those voices in my head, my fucking demons. Radock was squatting in front of me, looking up at me with that wondrous smile on his face still.

“Are you, Miss La Rouge?” he said, and he was openly mocking me. “Are you willing to submit to me?”

No, no, NO!“Yes.”

“Good,” said Radock. “The worst of it will be over in no time.” And he began to whisper.

Chapter 26

Rosabel La Rouge

Only when the magic fell over my shoulders and began to slowly slip under my skin did I realize that I hadn’treallyexpected him to spell me. In fact, I’d sat there like a damn fool, surrounded by the three Tivouxes Ididn’twant to see, had hoped to never have to meet again, waitingfor the eldest one to kill me instead.

I’d been fully prepared to fall dead on the floor when he began to chant, and I’d still stayed put. I’d still agreed to submit because there had been the tiniest—tiniestchance that he might be telling the truth.

He was.

Imagine my surprise when the Blackfire magic coming out of his hand and settling around my shoulders, around my neck,didn’tkill me. It just began to make itself known to my mind, began tosubdueall my thoughts like I’d taken some kind of a drug.

Within the minute, I felt so drowsy. I actually considered asking them to move to that couch so I could lie down and close my eyes for a minute.

Then the spell was over and Radock spoke.

“Tell me your full name.”

His voice was at the center of my mind, echoing a million times. Every single thought in my head revolved around it like everything I knew, everything I’d ever learned or thought about was rushing to obey him, and I didn’t even consider telling a lie, saying something that wasn’t true.

“Rosabel Amelia La Rouge.”

“Who is your grandmother on your mother’s side? State her full name.” Again, that voice—so powerful.

“Madeline Minerva Rogan.” I didn’t have to even wonder—the information came in the center of my mind and slipped out my lips almost on its own.

Slowly but surely, I was forgetting what lying was. How strange—I was forgetting that Icouldlie, could choose to say words that aren’t true.

Because right nowI couldn’t.

“Is it true that you were born Mud?” I blinked and blinked, but all I was able to see was his face. Radock’s face. Everything else—Seth and Kaid and the entire room had turned so blurry.

“No,” I said.

“Is it true that you weremadeMud on purpose?”

On purpose.“No.”

“Tell me how then.”

I don’t want to,I thought, and I blinked and blinked, but Radock was the only one there as far as I was concerned. The only one in the world.

“Michael Perez, my team leader, and Erid Schtein, my teammate and friend, spelled me when they tried to kill me. I was too weak to control my magic and I let it loose without an anchor or spell. Erid’s Whitefire stained me in the process.” That’s what I was ninety-nine percent sure happened—not justbecause it made the most sense, but because that was the first time I really felt the difference in my magic.

Laughter. Words I couldn’t quite understand—probably Kaid and Seth, but I was too busy being completely focused on Radock, on what he would ask me next. Icouldn’t waitto tell him all my truths; anything he wanted was his to know. Anything.

But there was also a small part of me that was perfectly aware of what was happening, as if it wasn’t affected by that spell at all. It scared me, not going to lie. It fucking terrified me because I was aware that there were things I didn’t want to share with these men, withanyone, but I couldn’t even try to fight this magic off yet.

“And why would your team leader want to kill you, Rosabel?” Radock said.

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