Page 143 of Owned

Then I felt it, like claws tearing into my mind. I staggered back, caught off guard, and the world spun in slow, dizzying turns.

When it settled, he was there.

Lucian.

A mockery of a smile curled his lips. “You’ve been plotting against me, my son,” he said. “I can… feel it.”

His presence wrapped around me, tight as a noose.

His face was close, too close, and I felt the rush of a thousand old memories, like knives turning inside me.

I knew it wasn’t real.It couldn’t be.

But the dread that twisted in my chest was like a living thing.

“You’re going soft,” he said as he moved closer. Lucian’s voice dripped with derision. “I would never have expected you to give up control so quickly… and for what? A witch with pale magic— The daughter of a traitor?” His sharp chin lifted, but his pale eyes burned into mine. “She belongs tome. I will be the one tobreakher.”

I watched him, jaw clenched, searching for a crack in the magic, a way to tear through it.

His laughter was sharp and cruel.

“You were always a coward, Titus.”

The rebuke cut through me.

“Too afraid to take what’s yours. Too afraid of me.” He paused and his smile widened—stretched into a terrifying mockery of a grin. “When did you get so afraid,boy?”

The ground tilted beneath my feet, but I braced my hand against the stone wall.

“I’m not a coward,” I growled. “I’m stronger than you— We all are. And we’re not afraid of you. Not anymore.” I glared back at the wretched ghoul that rose in front of me. “Avril willneverbelong to you—”

He wasn’t real. He wouldn’t be here lecturing us.

He wanted Avril back—

The air around me shimmered, alive and dangerous. But there was a crack in the illusion.

I fought against it and closed my eyes to focus on drawing my magic forward. Lucian’s expression twisted as the pale greensmoke of my magic wound around the illusion, forcing it to bend and twist.

“You’rethe ones who are afraid,” I said, speaking now to whoever was controlling the wraith with my father’s face. “You’re the ones who will pay for your treachery with your wretched lives—”

I pushed against the pressure of the magic behind the mirage. Felt it bend...

“Your mother,” the image of Lucian gasped. “She wanted to kill you—”

“You’re full ofshit,” I hissed. “If you’re going to try to fuck with someone’s head, you’ll have to do better than that.”

And then it broke. The illusion unraveled thread by thread, until Lucian’s face twisted into a grotesque mask. A howl filled my ears and I pushed my magic harder into the cracks of the spell. The howl became a scream of pain, and a smile spread across my face as the phantom of Lucian fractured and fell away.

The world snapped back, harsh and clear.

I stumbled and then found my footing. I swallowed hard as my pulse pounded in my throat.

I looked around, searching for the others.

They were still there, caught in the same trap.

Valen was crouched on the stairs, his eyes wide, staring at something that only he could see. I moved closer and saw the flicker of recognition, of horror, in his expression.

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