Page 78 of A Hunter for Luna

As my foot crossed the threshold, Rose gasped, “No!”

Agonizing bands of silver magic wrapped me from head to foot, burning with cold fire. Memories of the worst of my father’s beating flooded my mind, my mouth filling with the memory of blood.

My magic flexed against it, devouring, but the spell still entrapped me. There was too much power in it for my magic to dispel.

All in the space of a moment, then the spell vanished as if it had never been and I dropped to my knees, shaking.

Rose and Sofia dropped to their knees at my side, Sofia’s rose perfume wrapping around me and easing the shock.

“What was that?” I murmured.

Sofia rested her hand on my forehead. That trap spell had been hers, and my magic fought her as she poured healing onto me. She’d never demonstrated that she was that strong, ever.

“Sofia set a spell to catch the man who kidnapped us. He was supposed to be the next who came through the curtain.”

“My contract is to protect Rose,” Sofia said softly. “I’ve pushed its limits for you two in the past, but this I could safely do. Slaughtering the guards wholesale when I didn’t know what they intended would have been beyond the limits.”

She could slaughter the guards?

“But if you’re here, it’s best we leave. A pity. Ending Vivaldo would solve a number of problems. But Rose is no longer in direct threat, so my hands are tied.” Sofia rose.

I sat up and watched as she gathered her knitting from an armchair. Rose joined her, picking up a workbasket and a swath of embroidered cloth.

“What was threatened?” I asked.

“Mutilation. Death. For both of us, but the threat to Rose was greater.” Sofia was still calm, as though I’d unexpectedly shown up for a bit of tea.

Rose’s hands were shaking, but she was mimicking Sofia. Good. She could have all the hysterics in the world once she was safe and away from here.

“Is Vivaldo here?”

Sofia chuckled, as though reading my thoughts. "He is a fool," she said with amusement. "And yes, he is present. A pity if some accident were to befall him."

Rose nodded in agreement. "We've been biding our time, waiting for the right moment to deal with him and make sure you were safe too. But we should go now."

I stared at them in shock. I’d never heard Rose sound so cold blooded, or Sofia so… dangerous.

Rising, my muscles still quivered with the memory of pain, but Sofia had healed the injuries her spell had inflicted. Again, overcoming my magic. Something to consider for my and Benedetto’s conflict with Moonshifter.

"You two are going to be the death of me," I said, but I couldn't keep the fondness from my voice. “Let’s go.”

As we made our way through the manor's winding corridors, the distant sounds of clashing swords and shouted commands echoed through the halls. I could hear Benedetto, strong and steady, as he directed our guards in the ongoing fight.

I glanced at Sofia and Rose. "We need to get you out of here. Benedetto and the others can only hold them off for so long."

Sofia nodded, her expression darkening. "Let’s go, Rose.”

Vivaldi was in this house, though apparently ignoring the fight. Why? I needed to know for the future of all of us. If I could search here and now, I might be able to find Vivaldo and put an end to this once and for all.

I turned to Sofia and Rose, my mind made up. "You two go out the front," I said. "I have something I need to take care of."

Sofia's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought she might argue. But then understanding flickered across her face. "Be careful."

I gave her a tight smile, then slipped back down the hall. This was my chance. My chance to be more than just a pawn in someone else’s political game, be it Vala or Vivaldo.

The halls of the manor were eerily quiet as I drifted forward, light footed on wooden floors, my senses on high alert. I paused at each doorway, straining to hear any signs of light, movementor conversation. The next floor up, toward the back of the manor, I heard the faint scratching of a quill on parchment and a glimmer of candlelight coming from a room at the end of the corridor.

This room was far enough away from the fighting that I couldn't hear it anymore. And presumably neither could Vivaldo.

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