Page 31 of Payne's Envy

“I’ve fulfilled my side of the deal.” Derrick moved toward Nova. “Hand over Nova.”

The second his hand lifted toward her; a soft voice fluttered from beneath the white mask. “Boom.”

Right before the power hit the warlock, he created a black magical barrier in front of him. Even with his shield, the force sent him sailing through the air.

Harvest exhaled. “It appears you’ve forgotten she’s no longer shackled to you. She can hurt you if she wishes, unless I tell her otherwise.”

“Even now, Nova…” Derrick dusted himself off with a sigh. “No matter how many times I tried to teach you not to say anything when you attack, you still say such a silly word? Take off the mask, so I know it’s you for real.”

“Don’t command her. I never said I’d give Nova to you. I said I’d let you see her.”

Derrick snarled. “You tricked me.”

“She’s too valuable to set free, but I’m willing to work something out that might benefit you.”

Nova’s cloak jerked, as if she might have flinched beneath that material, and I swore it was the first time I saw the proxy move a muscle.

Derrick lowered his hand, and his black shield disappeared in front of him. “I’ll do your biddingifNova works alongside me.”

“I’ll think about it.” Harvest flicked his hand back and forth through the flames atop his head. “Nova, do a little magic on our guest. See what kind of reaction we get.”

I straightened as Nova headed toward me.

“Nadine, the spells are placed in casehemight arrive at her distress, correct?”

Harvest kept bringing up someone without giving a name. For whatever reason, he seemed to think I was the key to upsetting, possibly catching some guy?

“It would save me so much trouble if we got him out of the picture before the end got here.”

Oh, my Hades!

Was he talking about the Devil? That was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard. If they believed the Devil—our archnemesis would save a Reaper—I was so screwed.

The second my powers vanished, I would die. At least I saved Payne, despite the weird structure spreading over his body. What was that?

As Nova neared, I wondered how much freewill she had. I thought of August, the bearer of greed, and the agony on his face the day he told us the woman before me was dead. It made little sense.

“What did Harvest mean about revenge?” I asked, as she stopped. “You’re my brother’s soulmate.”

The man I love would never be mine. I might be doomed when it came to falling in love, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t try to save my brother’s relationship before I died.

“He thought you were dead,” I said.

“I’d imagine so since he’s the reason I died along with others that day.”

Nova lifted her hand, like she wantedme to see her strike before it happened. The shackles must be binding my power because no green barrier materialized to protect me.

“Boom.”

A fiery nightmare ripped into my chest, and I thought I saw my own meaty chunks burst in the air in front of me before everything went black.

_______

I died a lot and woke to a new pain again and again. Immortality was a curse when held captive. My captors didn’t have to care how far they took it. How many times had they killed me? How much it hurt. Hades, I didn’t think it mattered if I had been mortal and could die.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been there. Time blurred. I just knew Harvest threw lanterns and punched the cave walls when I came back to life after one of his brutal attacks. He looked everywhere, like he waited for something to happen.

Fatigue and hunger gnawed at me. I guessed I’d been in the cave for at least a day or two. After each death, my body took longer to revive and heal.

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