Page 76 of Payne's Envy

“Which means we need to be prepared and careful,” Dad said before looking at Isabella. “I need you and your coven to look into any spells, potions—whatever magic a witch can use against Harvest when the end comes. We can’t let him cross over when that bridge opens.”

Isabella nodded. “Melinda has already been preparing.”

“The Devil is the biggest worry, right?” Kitty piped in. When no one said anything, she shrugged. “We’ve talked about it before. In the end, he’s the one meant to cross over. Won’t he be our last battle? We need to prepare for Harvestandthe Devil.”

Dad rubbed his gloved hand across his jaw, and I frowned. Why was he wearing gloves? I’d never seen him wear them before.

“Grab your favorite weapons, clothes, whatever you can, and start storing your power within them.”

Prudence rubbed her forehead and sighed. “That’s a lot of mental and physical strain on us.”

“It’s exhausting, but we must do this. We’ll take turns casting our power into our clothes and weapons,” Dad said. “I don’t want to risk the dragons arriving while we’re all depleted of energy. We’ll save these items for the end.”

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

“You don’t think we’ll have our powers by the end, do you?” August asked Dad.

Dad exhaled. “We need to face the fact that we might be mortal walking into this last fight.” He looked at Isabella again, who suddenly paled. “That’s why it’s important we find other means to stop them.” He looked at us all next. “I don’t care whether they’re warlocks or proxies. They can be good or bad. If there’s a spell or some other method to use, we’ll pry the knowledge from them by force.”

August’s jaw tightened as he glanced at the floor. “A proxy? There is one.”

“Who despises you,” I said, knowing my brother meant his marked mate. “I don’t know what you did, but I felt her hatred.”

“Hatred?” August murmured, eyes softening. “All I ever wanted was to save her.”

“This person August is talking about harmed you?” Payne’s eyes did that reflective thing.

“Don’t worry, Payne. I’ll find her and set everything straight.” August walked toward the door.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“You’re leaving?” Dad asked. “You need rest. Between the attacks and the human realm, I need you—”

“Relax. I’ll be here when the dragons attack, and when I’m needed in the human world. You said we needed help by any means necessary. Well, I can find it.” August smiled in that creepy greed way of his.

“Wait a second,” Maureen called out. “Your proxy has been alive this entire time when you thought she was dead, which means she knew you were alive. Everyone knows who we are. She could have come to you at any time, but didn’t.”

August scowled. “I didn’t need the reminder. Don’t worry. When I find her, I’ll make sure to ask about that, and why the hell she’s with immortal scum like Harvest.”

August faded.

“What do you think, Joy?” I looked at my father as he spoke. “Nova… Can August reach her through Harvest’s manipulation, or will she be his undoing?”

“I can’t say, but I sensed her hatred for August, but the same could be said with her interactions with Harvest. Nova despises him, too. Harvest enjoys keeping her at his side, so she must be more powerful than we realize.” I ran my fingers over the cramp in my neck. “Honestly, Nova seemed like a puppet because Harvest appeared to be using her to get Derrick to do his bidding as well.”

“The one that kidnapped you?” Dad asked.

“Yes. He wants Nova for some reason.” The more I thought about the way Derrick stared at Nova, the more my skin chilled. His infatuation with her went beyond how powerful she was. Derrick lusted after Nova. “I think letting August search for her is best.”

“We’d all do the same if we were in his shoes,” Barron stated.

“Rest everyone. Even if it’s only fifteen minutes before the dragons show again.” At Mom’s words, everyone stretched and walked to our old rooms like we were kids again.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Payne

Seconds after I joined her on the bed, Joy fell asleep. Her arousal choked me every time I took a breath. My cock ached so much I wondered if it would fall off. Was it possible to die from not succumbing to our needs? How could she sleep when I knew her desire was constantly like mine? In her dreams, she moaned and molded her body so perfectly into mine. Our bodies wanted something I was trying to save for when I could tell her everything.

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