Page 89 of The Darkest Night

The slap came out of nowhere. Ryu’s jaw snapped sharply sideways, black spots exploding in front of her eyes. She tasted blood on her tongue as she shook her head dazedly, her ears ringing. She licked the cut on the inside of her cheek, turned, and glared at Rose.

The creature who inhabited the flesh of Mae’s best friend smiled widely, eyes mocking. She froze when Ye-Seul grabbed her wrist.

Ryu stared at her grandmother, equally shocked.

Ye-Seul’s eyes were open and surprisingly lucid as she observed their captor. “Ran Soyun sends her greetings, demon. Know that she watches over Na Ri from the Heavens. So too will Azazel, once he hears of their daughter’s resurrection. You will not win this war. The Witch Queen will defeat you. Mae…will defeat you…all…”

Horror drenched Ryu in a cold sweat as Ye-Seul’s eyes rolled back in her head. The old woman fainted.

She lunged awkwardly toward her, the ties binding her cutting into her wrists. “Grandma!”

The creature possessing Rose snatched her arm away from where Ye-Seul’s hand still gripped it, livid finger marks slowly fading. She stood and towered above them, her face dark.

For a moment, Ryu thought she would strike them.

A commotion outside drew the demon’s attention. Rose stormed out of the cell, the stench of Hell following her.

* * *

The helicopter hovered highover Lower Manhattan, rotors spinning to maintain a stationary position.

“Are you sure about this?” Mae asked Nikolai tensely.

They hunched opposite one another, feet wide apart and hands braced against the roof of the passenger cabin.

“Yes,” he replied, his jaw set in a hard line.

It had taken thirty minutes to get to the East River pier where Bryony had chartered a helicopter for their use. Vlad had watched them lift off with a flinty expression, the incubus flanked by his bodyguards. He was staying back to coordinate theBlack Devilsso they’d be ready to take onOnikswhen the time came.

Brimstone’s claws sank into the seat next to Violet, the fox looking distinctly uncomfortable as he clung to the solid surface. Being this far up in the air was evidently not his thing.

Mae wet her lips and pressed a hand to Nikolai’s chest. “Tell me if it hurts.”

He nodded curtly, his heartbeat steady beneath her fingers. His magic was a ball of flickering white light in her mind’s eye. Mae hesitated, Violet’s warning echoing in her ears.

“You want her to do what?!” the witch had gasped back at the apartment, eyes wide and staring.

“I’m going to expose the spell Vedran placed inside me to obscure my magic,” Nikolai had repeated. “I want Mae to try and take it apart. It might help locate the position of the Dark Council members in the city.”

“Messing with your magic like that is dangerous!” Violet had protested. “It could damage your soul or even kill you.”

Mae had studied Nikolai with a sick feeling. “Is that true?”

Nikolai had pressed his lips together. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does!” Mae had said between gritted teeth, aghast that he would even suggest something so unsafe.

“His white magic will protect him.”

They’d all turned and stared at Vlad.

The incubus had grimaced. “Trust me, nothing would make me happier than getting rid of my competition, but I honestly believe he can survive such a process.”

“Thanks,” Nikolai had muttered, tone half-ironic. He’d met Mae’s distressed gaze, his own reassuring. “If anyone can do this, you can.”

Mae took a shallow breath and closed her eyes. Heat suffused her veins as she reached for her magic. She guided it to her fingertips. Nikolai stiffened as her power sank into his flesh.

“I’m ready,” Mae said after a moment.

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