Page 49 of Midnight Witch

One of the witches mistook his expression.

“Do not worry, my liege,” she reassured him. “You will soon be freed from that wicked woman’s spell.”

Tension knotted Nikolai’s shoulders.What are they planning?

He shared a guarded glance with Vlad before addressing the witch. “And how do you intend to do that, exactly?” His tone turned grim. “Do you guys have another of those altars in the basement?”

Confusion clouded the witch’s eyes. She shared an uncertain glance with her companions.

Nikolai clenched his jaw.It seems they know nothing of the altar that triggered the mirage spell.

Vlad rose, demonic energy flashing in his pupils and upon his flesh. He lowered his brows and glared at something beyond Nikolai’s shoulder.

There was a sound behind Nikolai. The voice that spoke next sent a chill down his spine and had him bolting to his feet. He whirled around and sent the chair clattering to the ground.

“There is no need for an altar, brother,” Oscar said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he stepped out of a rift with his lynx Drabek.

The hairs rose on Nikolai’s arms. It was one of Barquiel’s portals.

Shit. He must be here too!

He sensed the demon’s energy a heartbeat later. It was coming from somewhere below them.

Vlad startled and looked at the floor before meeting Nikolai’s alarmed gaze. “Fuck!”

Fear twisted Nikolai’s insides.Mae!

Corruption pulsed from Oscar. Drabek’s eyes darkened to obsidian.

“Contain,” the sorcerer said with a lazy flick of a hand.

Oily tendrils of darkness filled the room. They converged and formed cages around Nikolai and Vlad before either of them could move. The incubus cursed and smashed the translucent barrier with a fist, to no avail. Nikolai heard Tarang’s distant roar above the sound of blood pounding in his skull.

His gaze was locked on the dark sphere forming above Oscar’s left hand. It reeked of the magic Mae had unleashed inside the church.

How is he doing that?!

Something glittered inside the inky globe. It took a moment to make out a stone covered in blazing, blue runes spinning inside the orb.

CHAPTER22

Oscar sneered.“Don’t worry, I hear it only hurts for a minute.”

Nikolai scowled. “What are you going to do with that?!”

Oscar shrugged, amusement replacing the disdain on his face. “Why, I’m going to bury it deep inside you, brother. So deep your sweet Mae won’t ever find it.”

Ice filled Nikolai’s veins as he looked from Oscar’s scornful expression to the stone. He finally recognized his father’s intentions.

The surest way to bring him back to the Dark Council was to make him forget about Mae.

Nikolai’s body heated up as he drew on his magic, his bond with Alastair strong and true despite the distance between them. The air inside the translucent cage surrounding him shimmered with the pale light of his Moon Magic and white magic. He raised a hand.

“Moon Spear!”

A dazzling bolt erupted from his palm and smashed into Oscar’s shield. A crack appeared.

Oscar lowered his brows. His eyes darkened a second before black magic detonated around him.

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