Page 51 of Of Flames and Crows

“The most likely place she might end up is the Council of the Moon.”

“Isn’t that where your brother is rumored to be?” Dietrich asked curiously.

Oscar’s voice shook with rage. “That bastard isn’t my brother!”

“Alright, alright,” Dietrich said soothingly. “Half-brother then.”

“The son of a bitch must be having a whale of a time with his new family,” Oscar sneered. “Maybe I should pay them a visit. Rough them up a bit, like I did his whore of a mother.”

A stilted pause followed.

“Didn’t you kill his mother?” Dietrich said.

Roman practically felt Oscar smile.

The sorcerer chortled. “The look on his face when she died in his arms was priceless.”

Roman masked a scowl.This monster!

“Shame you lost the spies you’d planted in the Council of the Moon,” Dietrich mused.

Oscar’s tone darkened. “There are other ways we can find the information we want. Is Raya in her chambers?”

“She’s having a video call with your father.”

“Good.”

Though he had his eyes closed, Roman could tell Oscar was staring at him. He could feel the sorcerer’s gaze boring into his face like a foul sun.

“Fix the kid up and take him back to his cell.” Oscar turned and headed toward the exit. “The minute we find his familiar, his core is mine. I think he’s the key that will finally give us access to Hellfire Magic.”

Dread sent bile surging to the back of Roman’s throat.

I have to get out of here!

The face of the woman he’d seen fleetingly during the minutes he’d passed out flashed before his inner vision. He’d thought he’d dreamt her up. The more he thought about it, the more he felt convinced he hadn’t.

Because he’d felt her magic through his bond with Filomena just as he’d likely visualized her through his familiar’s eyes. And it was her incredible power that had shattered the demon’s hold on his core.

I need to find her. But how?!

* * *

“My aunt specializes in Arcane Magic,”Cortes said.

“Arcane Magic?” Budimir repeated.

With Vlad’s quarters out of action, they were having breakfast in Cortes’s suite. Budimir had just joined them.

Cortes dipped his chin. “It’s primordial magic passed down through the generations in our family.” He paused and glanced at Brimstone. “I suspect one of my ancestors learned it directly from Azazel himself.”

“What does Arcane Magic do?” Nikolai asked Cortes curiously.

The Colombian’s expression grew awkward. “It gives someone the ability to bend the elements to their will. In rare cases, they can…see through time, bend space, and create illusions.”

“Bend space?” Violet said, shocked.

Cortes nodded. “Warp it, basically.”

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