Page 14 of Fated to Monsters

And when I take another step forward and am met with the sturdy wall of an invisible forcefield, I realize he had the upper hand all along. I was just too stupid to see it.

5

Wren

“Are you okay?” I grip Wes’s shoulders as he stumbles back.

“Yeah.” He regains his footing. “What is this?” Wes places his palm against seemingly nothing.

I fight the desire to lose my entire mind at being held captiveonce again. First, it was by Wes, then Rockbridge, and now, this.

Will I ever be truly free?

Even before Wes found me bleeding out in that building where I was supposed to kill him, I spent my existence in a chokehold by Parla and her merciless cause. I’ve never been of my own free will, why did I expect things to have ever changed? If only I had just died that day with my mother, none of this would have happened. Wes and Dash and Bo would be living much better lives without me, and so many wouldn’t be dead by my hands.

“It’s a barrier spell,” Sydney tells him. “To keep all of you contained while I figure out what to do with you.” He nods down the hallway. “How many more are there?” He raises his voice. “Show yourselves.”

Dash comes out of our bedroom with his hands in the air. “Uh, hey, I’m Dash. I don’t have any special skills or anything, I’m just really good at dying. I mean, not dying, but like, coming back to life. I don’t know, that doesn’t make sense. I’m not making sense.”

I take one of his hands and lower it, weaving my fingers into his and pulling him toward me. “Everything is going to be okay, don’t worry.” It might be a lie, but it’s what he needs to hear. The truth is, I won’t let anyone hurt him, not if I have any say in it.

Sydney’s brows bunch together. “Your specialty is dying?”

“Yeah, I’m a—”

Tremont cuts Dash off. “He’s harmless is what he is. And until you start negotiating our release, I don’t think they should have to give you any more information.”

“Do you not realize how sketchy that sounds, especially coming out of your mouth?”

“It’s fine, I don’t mind,” Dash speaks up. “I’m, I guess I’m a phoenix, whatever that means.”

Sydney leans against the railing to the stairs. He trains his focus on Wes. “You’re telling me that you’re a hellhound.” Then on Dash. “You’re a phoenix.” And then on me. “And you’re a witch.”

I shake my head and interject. “No. I’m not a witch. I’m a hunter.”

“A hunter? But…”

“She’s been in Prania her whole life,” Tremont adds. “She was raised as a hunter. Her magic has lied dormant. Ring any bells?”

I step toward Tremont. “When are you going to realize that I don’t have any magic? None of my own at least.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sydney grows defensive.

“It’s complicated.” How am I supposed to explain something that doesn’t make sense to me either?

“Right.”

“Is this where we introduce ourselves?” Jade pokes her head out of the bedroom she and Everest share.

Sydney throws his hands up. “By all means, just keep them coming. Anyone else hiding in there?”

“Just me and Everest.” She walks out with her hand tucked into his, the two of them side by side, declaring for the whole world to know that they’retogether.

If Bo saw this, he’d be foaming at the mouth.

Bo. My heart stutters from the realization that he’s not here, and that he never came back last night.

My fingers trace the scar he left behind on my neck, the constant reminder of his presence in my life. It doesn’t burn, doesn’t run hot, but it’s how it normally is when he’s nearby. Which means he hasn’t abandoned us completely. No, he must be lying in wait for his time to strike. Or, he’s gorging on the rest of the hot pockets in the freezer downstairs. One option is just as possible as the other.

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