Page 78 of Ignited Spirits
I huff a laugh. “I know. But this still isn’t the time. Who knows when someone is going to walk in here? We really didn’t have time for this whole breakdown and heart-to-heart thing that’s going on. So, let’s get the information we need and get the fuck out of here.”
No one protests, much to my relief, because I’m at my limit of emotional stuff I can handle right now. Nothing about this has gone right, and I really, really need something to start going to plan.
“I’ll unfreeze Giles so you can ask him your questions. If he’s not cooperating, I’ll just go through his memories. Does that work for you, little raven?” Levi asks.
“Yeah, that’s fine.” I don’t particularly want to talk to Giles, so I’d rather Levi just riffle through his brain. But I should probably try normal methods before wasting Levi’s magic like that.
Levi gives me a sharp nod before using his power to fling Giles back to the desk. He slams full force into the desk and rebounds hard enough to have his head jerking like a crash test dummy.
Levi smirks at the impact. “Oops.”
I snort because there’s no way that was an accident.
Releasing his power on Giles’s conscience, Levi wakes the councilman up.
Giles’s faded blue eyes dart around the office in confusion, probably wondering where he is, how he got here, and why he can’t move. When his gaze lands on the seven of us, understanding dawns before his face transforms into a scowl.
“Unhand me this instant. Do you know who I am? I am about to become the most powerful mage the world has ever seen. You can’t do this to me!” His angular face turns red with the effort he’s expending to get free from Levi’s power. It’s kind of fascinating to watch, like observing a fly try to free itself from a spider’s web.
He’s quite the sight to behold, with the blood running down his nose and forehead. He looks less like an esteemed pillar of the community and more like someone who lost a bar fight.
I bark out a laugh at his delusions. “My guy, you know what happened to the last dude Lua was working with? Your friend Doyle? I killed him even when he had charms to protect him from Lua.” Giles gapes at me, and I break into a grin at rattling him. “You will never be the most powerful anything, anywhere. Lua’s just using you, and she’ll kill you as soon as she gets what she wants.”
“You’re cute thinking there’s going to be anything left of him when I’m done with him,” Bishop growls, his face set in a terrifyingly savage smile. I look around and see the rest of my mates and even Rhys nodding in agreement.
My nose scrunches in confusion. “I thought we were planning to send him back toInfernus?”
“We were. Then we found out what he did to you. Now, we’re not.” Luca shrugs like it’s as simple as that. I guess to them, it is. I honestly don’t care what happens to Giles as long as I don’t have to see him ever again.
Shrugging, I turn back to a visibly nervous Giles, who is finally realizing the severity of his situation. “Anyway, what can you tell us about Lua’s plans and how, exactly, she’s draining magic?”
His upper lip curls in distaste at having to talk to me. “Why would I tell you anything? You’re going to kill me whether I tell you or not, so there’s nothing in it for me.”
Cain prowls toward Giles, some of his wispy black flames floating around him as he does. His eyes are glowing the red of his hellhound, and he’s bulkier than usual. He looks kind of like the Grim Reaper personified as he plants his hands on the desk and gets in Giles’s face.
“Because we can make your death easy and swift. Or we can make it painful and lingering. Do you know the longest I’ve ever tortured someone?” Cain pauses until the councilman shakeshis head. “It was for an entire year. It’s amazing the things the human body can be put through and still survive.”
Cain’s smile is more like a baring of teeth before he pushes off the desk and comes to stand beside me once again. He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into his side.
I don’t know whether he’s comforting me or himself. Either way, I enjoy the feel of him against me.
Giles’s eyes go wide, and he starts struggling against Levi’s magic once more. Unfortunately for him, he’s still a mage. He’s powerful for what he is but no match for mycuramate.
When he realizes that fighting is useless, he slumps in his chair. He trains his gaze on me, and, unsurprisingly, it’s brimming with hatred. “Her plans are to take over the planet and subjugate the lesser races. Mages are her chosen people, and we will take our rightful place at the top once she succeeds. There is nothing you can do to stop her.”
Throwing his head back, Giles lets out an unhinged cackle, and I’m surprised he doesn’t start foaming at the mouth.
Once his laughter subsides, I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that before. So, how does Lua drain magic from the lower mages?”
His eyes widen. “How did you find out about that?”
“The mages you drained told me.” He looks at me in confusion. “Oh, that’s right, you’re out of the loop. I’m a spirit mage. I see and talk to dead people. Surprise!” I do jazz hands and give him a big, shit-eating grin.
Revealing I actually have magic to people like Giles is one of my new favorite things.
“That… that’s not possible. You’re just a magicless mistake that is unfit to bear the Gallagher name.”
Two points to my new least favorite councilman for calling me an insult I haven’t heard before. A solid C for creativity.
