Page 52 of Captured in Love
But the horrible fact is that these Scottish witches and their helpers would be killing off contestants whether we were here or not. Isak would have died in that portal spell without us, so that’s one less victim of their viciousness.
I have to find the good in this entire situation, or I won’t have the strength to finish what we started. These witches need to pay for what they’re doing to the magical community. It’s not just that they have amassed a ridiculous amount of knowledge and power—they’re using it to actively hurt others.
My grief over Mom’s death and the fear of losing any more family members may have pushed me into this plan at first, but it has grown into so much more since then. Now, I just want to see justice done for the assholes who have tried, on multiple occasions, to murder us.
And maybe Isak hunting down that telekinetic witch is the first step, gruesome as it sounds. Even if the masked stranger hadn’t seen him in his dragon form, Isak has a bone to pick with the organizers for how they put up that portal spell that would have burned him alive if he’d been a witch. I understand his need for revenge as much as his drive to protect the secret of his people.
A shape materializes from the gloom, and at first, I think it’s Isak, but it’s too small for that, a torpedo-shaped body moving languidly through the cold water. A sharp spike of fear punches through me as I realize it’s a large shark, at least twelve feet long, its mottled skin hiding him against the dark sea floor. Instinctively, I jerk back, extinguishing my flashlight to hide from the predator. Then I remember sharks actuallysmelltheir prey. This guy here came to check out whether we’re a tasty snack or not.
Raphaël pulls me closer to him and squeezes my hand reassuringly, and some of the tension bleeds out of me. I’m not a helpless morsel floating in the ocean—I have a strong, lethal vampire by my side.
Levi nudges me from the other side, and when I look at him, he gives me a thumbs-up. The asshole is totally enjoying this. I punch him in the shoulder, and even though the water slows my fist, Levi acts like I knocked him out.
I can’t help but grin at him. I know he’s messing with me to keep me from panicking, and I’m so grateful to have him here. He knows me better than anyone. My childhood crush has transformed into deeper, stronger feelings that light a warm glow inside me, helping me push away thoughts of the cold water that seems to be seeping right down to my bones.
We ascend to the next plateau, and the pale light that filters through from above grows stronger, enough that we can turn off our flashlights. The shark circles beneath us, deceptively slow but watching us with every pass. Maybe it’s gauging his chances against three people. Suddenly, it dips out of sight, and I’m left squinting into the dark water under my flippers. Then another shape materializes from the mist, a sinuous creature from old myths, his wings folded close to his back. His webbed feet and swishing tail propel him forward.
Isak comes to a stop in front of us and just waits, as if content to hang out in the middle of the ocean. When Levi checks his wrist computer and gives us the okay sign, we move for the surface. My tired legs are cramping from all the swimming we did today, and if the currents have swept us too far off course, I might have to just wait in place while Raphaël and Levi swim back to the boat. I don’t think I have it in me to paddle like this much longer.
I tear the mask from my face and take my first breath of fresh air. It comes with a salty tang and it burns my lungs after so long, but it’slife, pure and simple. The gray clouds overhead hang low above the water, and it’s impossible to tell the time—but a glance at my wrist computer tells me we spent more than twelve hours in the ancient dragon city. I’m lightheaded from dehydration and hunger, so tired the weight of my gear might be enough to pull me under. The sea laps hungrily at my face, the waves threatening to overcome me.
Then Isak swims closer and nudges me with his snout. It’s the same move he made in the entrance chamber of the dragon city, and I don’t waste any time. I grab hold of his back spikes and allow him to tow me through the waves. Raphaël and Levi hang on as well, and Levi twists his fingers around the shoulder strap of my harness as if he’s afraid I might let go and fall off.
It’s there, in the safety of Levi’s grip, that I whisper a tiny spell, sticking it to the scales on Isak’s back, just behind his wings. I only use my own leftover magic to create the mark and make it as small and unobtrusive as possible. Isak doesn’t notice, and neither do Levi and Raphaël. They’re too focused on the moment—and likely too tired to care.
Our boat comes into view within minutes. Raphaël removes his flippers and climbs the ladder in the back first, nimble as a cat. He hauls Levi up, then reaches for me.
But before I can take his hand and climb out of the freezing sea, Isak’s large claws close around my body, and he pulls me away from the boat.
Nineteen
Isak
“Hey!”Raphaël shouts, ready to jump back in and save Nora from the big bad dragon.
Nora waves to stop him and cocks her head at me, her eyes tired but curious.
Shivers of magic run down my body. I will it to transform, my wings shrinking, my tail disappearing. I fold myself into my human shape. I scratch at an itchy spot below my shoulder blade, then focus on Nora.
“This will never get old,” she mutters as she runs her gaze over me.
A wave splashes at my face, and I slick back the scraggly remains of my hair. The rest was burned off in that wicked fire, and I’ll have to shave it all off, let it grow out again. Fucking witches with their fucking spells. I never should have taken up Kiran’s idea to rescue the old crown from the Scottish coven. If I’d stayed at my cushy job at the university, I wouldn’t have had to kill the witch who had tried to murder us earlier.
I grimace, then try to cover it by looking past Nora to where Levi and Raphaël are unloading their diving gear and checking over the boat. But Nora’s eyes turn tender, and she reaches out to touch my shoulder with one cool palm.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
I could lie. I could brush the question away, pretend that taking a life doesn’t bother me. But something about her brings out the truth in me, and I can’t lie to her, not anymore. Not after everything we’ve been through.
“No,” I answer quietly. “I killed a person.”
I hunted down the man and grabbed him, then cut his breathing tube with my talons and just…held him until he stopped twitching. Then I hid the body on the ocean floor, piling some rocks on top to prevent it from floating away and washing up on some shore.
Even if it was self-defense, even if the witch had tried to let us all drown in that tunnel, it doesn’t make my actions any less abhorrent.
“You saved our lives,” Nora says, her voice growing hard. “You protected your people.”
Her hand slips to my jaw, and she cups my cheek. I want to lose myself in her eyes, forget about everything else in the world, and let her comfort the raging thoughts inside me. But she’s a witch and a competitor, and I need to get away from them all if I want to win the Games. Until I bring back that crown, she’s the enemy.
