Page 112 of The Demon's Discovery
“I could use a good interrogation,” Magnus was already moving toward the door.
“I don’t want to was?—”
“Waste time,” Rylan interrupted. “I know. But we need to have a plan before we do anything, yes?”
I clenched my jaw. “Yes.”
“Where was the portal?” Magnus asked, stopping just before he entered the hall, Rylan and I following him while Grace and Greta headed upstairs.
“In the hedge maze at the Belettes’ manor.” I frowned, thinking of how lovingly she’d spoken of it. Had he opened the portal at will to spy on her? Stalked her while she practiced her experiments, touched her things when she wasn’t around? Tampered with them so she’d fail? I saw red again, and my brother dodged as my mist flared outward from my body.
“That’s at least nearby. Could have been deep in the woods somewhere we’d never have found,” Magnus muttered thoughtfully.
We made our way down the stairs, the sound of Lara berating her husband reaching us from the top of the stairs. “If you’d only done what I said, if only we’d left like we planned?—”
“It wouldn’t have made any difference! He would have found us no matter where we went. And with what money would we have traveled anyway? You spent your way through all our savings like we were royalty. You and your need for new wineglasses, new dresses for Bea, new décor. You bled usdry?—”
“I wasn’t the only one! What about your fancy liquor, your rings? I should have left?—”
“I’m so sorry, are we interrupting?” I said loudly, garnering their attention.
“Mr. Feland!” Henrik immediately turned away from his wife, gripping the rough bars of their cell. “I implore you, please. We are of no risk to you, this is wholly unnecessary.”
I glanced at the two men beside me. “Magnus?”
He stepped forward, and Henrik was so startled by the stone kin’s size, even in his human form, that he stepped back abruptly and fell directly on his ample ass.
“I do love the chance to ask the important questions unhindered.” His slow smile made Henrik pale even further.
“Sirs! Please. We’re all men, here, I’m sure we can come to an arrangement.”
“There are two demons here, Henrik. And neither will make any kind of deal with you. That alone should tell you the depth of shit you’ve managed to put yourself in.” He hushed, turning the same pale shade as his wife as we advanced on the cell. “Now. We don’t have much time, but we’re going to start at the beginning.”
Rylan’s energy was wild as it swirled around him, and I had my mist. Magnus was intimidating by size alone but decided to tease the poor captives further by shifting into his stone form. They both cried out, the stench of their fear filling up the enclosed space.
My ring sent a current of energy through my skin. Hope flared bright, and for the first time since Greta had left my side,I felt peace. I could find her. I just had to find the right way to access the portal. I had my brother and my friend at my side. We would not fail.
My next thoughts surely made me a bad man, but I didn’t care. Her rescue lay on the other side of their discomfort, and I was going to enjoy every moment of seeing them thrash while I took all the information I needed from them.
Chapter 44
Greta
Ris shoved his hands into his hair, eyes scrunched shut.
“She said the prophecy would be changed. Put on someone else. As long as we did exactly what she said, you would be safe and someone else would end up The Alchemist! She swore!” His volume had gotten progressively louder as he ranted, and he’d even climbed to his feet, legs shaky but holding his weight.
“She who?”
He made a sound of disgust. “Your mother had found an old wise woman, she lived in the hills outside of Vincara. She’s likely long dead now, especially if her methods were the same with all her other customers. When we get out of this, I’ll be looking for her, in any case.” He gritted his teeth together. “I never met her. Your mother handled it all. Before you returned from your visit, I was locked in here. But I’d hoped… always hoped… it had gone the way we dreamed. I’m so sorry.”
“I appreciate the sentiment,” I said, feeling slightly detached from reality as things I thought I knew reorganized themselves yet again. “But I don’t think there was any wise woman.”
He huddled close to the bars again. “Why not?”
I told him about the memory I had of a man with red hair hovering over me, how I’d been bound by the magical seal both in body and mind. And when I told him about my wing ways being sealed, he made a sound like a wounded animal before apologizing again.
I shifted my shoulders, remembering all too clearly how it had felt while Lovette and Calla worked on freeing me from the iron thread. I shook my head, unwilling to fall down into the trap of feeling sorry for myself. There was too much we needed to accomplish and not much time.
