Page 12 of How to Accidentally Become the Devil

Suddenly fear floods the bond and Oz goes silent, his eyes flicking to mine.

Shit! What’s she doing?

“Maddy,” Zeph gasps. “What’s happening?” he pants as the emotions flash through the bond so strong it nearly knocks him off his feet.

“She’s taking his pain again. It’s just like last night, but so much more intense.”

“Wait… She’s not…” Oz furrows his brows as he concentrates on the bond. “She’s not with Luc. She’s in Zo’s room.”

That should make me feel better, at least she’s not taking Luc’s pain again. But the ferocity of the anger, pain, and despair slamming into me tells me it doesn’t matterwhoseemotions she’s fucking with. It’s not good.

“Let’s go,” I bark.

“We’re not done here,” Zarreth growls.

“Tough shit. We’re out. You want to hear the rest of the story? Then get your shit together and come with us.” Without a second look at the others, I run back inside, through the hall, and am through the door to the office in a flash. I’ve never been more thankful for Luc’s door than right now. Or that it’s on the same side of the castle as Zo’s rooms.

I fly down the corridor, not slowing as staff dive out of my way. Footsteps pound behind me, and still, I don’t slow. The need to get to my mate is all-consuming. I never cared about not being able to pop from place to place like Zo and now Maddy. But now, there’s nothing I wouldn’t give to be by her side in an instant.

I crash through Zo’s door, finally landing on my feet in her sitting room. The sight of my mate passed out on her couch sends panic coursing through me. Rushing to her side, I drop to my knees beside her and pull her unconscious body into mine.

“Amica Mea!” I wail as her head hangs limply from my arms.

“What the hell happened?” Oz demands.

“She… She told me about my brothers and I sorta flipped out.” She grimaces. “I was lost to the haze and suddenly it started to clear. I don’t know what she did, but somehow, she eased the anguish that was building into an inferno. Her empath powers surpass even my mother’s. When I came to she was standing over me for like two seconds before she just collapsed.”

“What was she doing here anyway?” Zeph asks. “She was supposed to be with Luc.”

“She ran into me, literally, when she was leaving his wing. I knew something had happened since she suddenly had wings that she definitely didn’t have when I saw her yesterday morning. I asked her about them and she told me about my brothers kidnapping her last night. Luckily, she insisted we go somewhere else to finish her story otherwise I might have killed a servant walking by.”

“Damn it,Amica Mea. You can only take so much. You’re not the devilyet. You arenotinvincible,” I mutter as I run my fingers through her hair.

“She took her emotions, didn’t she? Like she did Luc,” Zeph says, following my train of thought.

Zo’s eyes widen. “She didn’t tell me that part. She really did that?” she gasps.

“She didn’t take all of his pain. She couldn’t. But she took enough that he was able to return to us and talk to us before he went to his room,” Zeph explains.

“Then she took mine only hours later?” The shock on Zofina's face makes my stomach drop further. “Devil. Is she going to be okay?”

“Zar. Can you check her out? I know she’s not your favorite person right now, but please. We just need to know she’s okay,” Oz pleads.

I expect him to say no. Hell, I’m not even sure why he’s here. But I don’t expect the sorrow that fills his eyes at the suggestion. The air in the room freezes as we wait for his reaction.

Finally, he sighs, resigned, and murmurs, “I can’t.

“What the fuck do you mean, you can’t?” Oz snarls.

Zar’s eyes shutter before he says, “I don’t have my healing powers anymore. Luc stripped them during my confinement.”

Holy shit.

I can’t even imagine living without my powers.

“Fuck, Bro.” Zeph claps his twin’s back and pulls him into a hug. The two of them used to be super close until a few years ago when Zar came back. I don’t think I’ve seen them hug like this in over twenty years.

“What are we supposed to do? Just wait for her to wake up?” Oz grumbles, clearly not a fan of that idea.

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