Page 24 of Wrath

My magic tingled just beneath my skin, ravaging my veins like molten lava, and I could feel it begin to congregate in my hands. Green orbs lit up the darkness?—

And a familiar scream rended the air.

“Z!” My magic dissipated, retreating back into itself, but my panic remained, blasting through me and seizing the air in my lungs.

“I’m.” Gasp. “Fine.”

“Motherfucker!” I roared, throwing my fist at the plaster.

“You used your magic again, didn’t you?” Z didn’t sound angry or even upset. Yes, her voice was raspy and rough, as if shehadn’t used her vocal cords in far too long, but there wasn’t an ounce of malice in her question.

“Z, I’m so fucking sorry?—”

“Not your fault,” she interrupted. “I blame Lilith.”

“Z—” It probably wasn’t a smart idea to talk badly about the demoness when we were in her domain, undergoing her trial.

“Do you hear that, Lilith? You’re a bitch!” Z hollered, and I wondered if she was staring up at the ceiling, imagining her mother looking down on her.

I braced myself for…something. I didn’t know what.

For Lilith to magically appear and smite Z down?

For the ground to shake and crumble beneath our feet?

For the building to begin to shatter?

Nothing happened.

Relief loosened a few of the rigid muscles lining my shoulders—not all of them, though—and I dropped my forehead against the wall, directly over the hole I’d made with my fist. I wanted to see Z with my own two eyes, ensure she was okay, but there was another layer obscuring her from view.

“I’m going to get you out of here, Z. Just hang in there,” I vowed.

“Poor choice of words,” she said.

“I’m trying to be serious and loving,” I told her with feigned sternness. “Can you stop with the jokes? Is that too hard for you?”

“You would know that I like things hard…”

I once again pinched the bridge of my nose. I was beginning to understand how Devlin always felt when he had to deal with us.

“Think of her ass, Bash. Think of her ass. You can deal with her shitty personality,” I muttered to myself—though I kept my voice just loud enough for Z to hear.

Her laughter permeated the air, light and free, and I felt an answering one bubble in my chest. I would never get tired of hearing that sound. It soothed my frayed nerves in a way nothing else did.

Now I just needed to figure out how the fuck I could get Z out of there.

A shiver stole up my spine, and a seed of panic took root.

What if I couldn’t get her out in time? Was there even a time limit? How long could a human dangle from the motherfucking ceiling?

Why was my magic hurting her? Was this a part of the test?

“Bash?” Z’s tentative voice once again curled around me like fog.

“Yeah.” I kept my forehead pressed against the wall.

“I can hear you thinking hard.” There was another prolonged pause, then she said, “I know you’ll be able to get me out of here.”

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