Page 166 of The Glittering Edge

Immediately, Penny flashes back to the hours she spent on SkyCat. There was that story about the witch who cursed her lover. The article said afflicted spirits could be used to make curses more powerful, but it also worked for covenants. Is a covenant a bargain? Is this the answer they’ve been looking for?

“It’snoteasy to create a bargain, Chuck. It requires a huge sacrifice.” Gio gestures at the gun. “You can kill me to use my magic, but that’s no sacrifice to you.”

“You’re right. But if I kill my wife?”

Penny lets out a soundless cry, pressing her hands over her mouth.

“I knew you stole my book,” Gio says, his skin gray from fear or blood loss or both.

“Fascinating stuff,” Charles says. “I’m honestly disappointed you never used it on me. I would’ve if I were you.”

“The bargains never stop at one death. If you do this, you’ve doomed your entire family.”

“And in exchange, we will gain stability. Wealth.” Charles shrugs. “There are always more women, Gio. More people to love. You never learned that lesson, though, did you? You were always stuck on mine.”

“She would’ve been better off with me.”

“Probably.”

“Youlovedher,” Gio says. “How did you decide this was worth it?”

Charles grins. “Thank you for everything, Gio. I’m sorry it had to end this way.”

Then Charles attacks him.

Penny is shaking, her knees threatening to buckle. Gio holds Charles off for as long as he can, but he’s already out of energy from the blood oath. Eventually, Charles raises the gun and hits him across the temple with it.

When Giovanni is unconscious, Charles finds the cut on Gio’s hand. He tries to drink from the cut, but it’s already clotting. With blood smeared on his mouth, Charles takes a knife from his pocket and slits Gio’s wrist. Then he bows his head and takes a long drink.

Penny’s stomach roils.

Charles drops Giovanni’s hand and takes a long, deep breath. For a few seconds, his skin glows from within as if he’s radioactive.

“Don’t!” Penny screams, tears rolling down her face.

Charles places the gun in Gio’s limp hand and raises it to the man’s temple.

He pulls the trigger.

Penny is still screaming as Charles draws a circle on the floor with Giovanni’s blood. He takes off his wedding ring and lays it in the circle, whispering the words of a spell.

The Veil appears. Penny sees it as Charles must’ve seen it—all gossamer air, a black-and-white tear in the world.

Charles defines the exchange: the souls of the Barrions’ loved ones for material success. Money. Power. The dominoes are set. The bargain will be complete when the first person dies.

Penny blinks, and she’s suddenly surrounded by tall, hungryflames. She’s back in Meredith House. In front of her, Ellie lies dead on the floor in front of her, eyes open and unseeing.

Ellie’s voice comes from all around: “If only I’d known.”

If only she’d known what her husband was capable of.

If only she’d known who to run from.

Penny

THEY’RE BACK IN THE EMPTY FOOTBALL FIELD ACROSS THE VEIL.Penny is still pressing the ward to the Shadow’s chest, but she’s shaking. She feels tears rolling down her cheeks.

“That’s it,” Penny says. “All of this death so some selfish old man can be rich.”

---