Page 181 of Owned

“You don’t have to. It is the will that calls the spell forth. Be willing. Be open.”

Be careful.

Be strong.

Be ours.

I was protecting them.

Protecting myself.

I had to do it.

I didn’t have a choice.

“But the choices you’ll have when this is over—”

I brought the blade to the side of my hand, but then paused.

“Who are you?” I murmured.

“Don’t you know?”

Why was the voice so familiar now?

But I couldn’t place it…couldn’t find the memory that belonged to it.

“You’re running out of time—”

I bit down on the inside of my cheek and focused on the kiss of the blade against my skin.

“To bind spirit to flesh by will alone is to weave a thread of shadow between heartbeats.”

The grimoire’s whisper wrapped around me and the dagger moved of its own accord.

I tried to hold it steady, but something pushed against my hand—a cold pressure I couldn’t fight against.

“The vessel must open willingly. The spirit must answer.”

A whimper escaped my lips as dark blood welled up around the blade and dripped down onto the page.

“Both must desire.”

Scarlet stains on the pale page.

“If either falters, the thread unravels… What do you desire, child?”

What did I desire?

Power. Love. Freedom.

All of them.

Everything.

My stepbrothers’ faces flashed in my mind.

“Focus.”

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