Page 26 of Oracle of Ruin

“We could always go tomorrow night, all of us,” Blaine interjects. “My mother is there. I should like to see her.”

“Then it’s settled.” Amír extends her hand.

Kya gracefully takes it, color blooming in her soft cheeks. She allows the gunslinger’s hand to rest comfortably on her hip, the two walking in step towards their room.

My mother smiles softly and squeezes my arm. “We will find her. I promise.”

I allow myself a small smile and kiss the back of her hand. “I know we will.”

It has never been a question in my mind whether or not we will find Vera. It is how much of her we will find. And that answer is what determines which part of Mavis I cut off first—and whether she will live to see the end of her torment.

Chapter13

Verosa

When Mavis returns a week later, I’ve long since exhausted my supply of sacrifices. She watches my hungry gaze dance between her face and the satchel she has hanging at her side.

“Don’t spend it all at once,” she purrs, tossing the blood-stained sack my way.

A small part of me recoils at the sight, though a greater desire calls for the power the horrible things within that bag will bring.

I pluck a thumb from the bag, my favorite sacrifice. They’re large enough to last a while, but they feel normal in my hand. I’ve seen Mavis use a tongue. I don’t think I could ever do that.

“Make an arrow,” she commands.

She flicks a playing card in the air and I focus on forcing the darkness to take form. It bends to my will easily, and soon enough, a dark arrow impales the playing card just seconds later, the darkness piercing the dead center of the ace of hearts.

“Good girl.”

Mavis’s praise goes straight to my chest and wounded heart.

“Emi says you’ve been able to make a single sacrifice last for over a day. Impressive. Mine only last one spell. I suppose that is the power of the pureblood.”

In response, I conjure a small, dark snake that slithers around my neck. It leaps from the base of my throat and slinks towards Mavis before disappearing in a puff of smoke at her feet.

Her lips twist into a delightfully wicked grin and she beckons me forward. I smile and follow. Emi has been crooning about some reward Mavis has planned for us if I keep doing well in my training.

Training with Mavis is different from training with Rowan. Rowan hesitates. He holds back and pulls his punches as if scared he could hurt me. Mavis sees my strength and recognizes it. She doesn’t hold back. She lets me fall and forces me to pick myself back up.

A pang of betrayal shoots through my gut. I miss Rowan daily, though never at night. These nights, I’ve been able to sleep, my body forcing me into a dreamless rest. The dark circles that used to permanently reside beneath my eyes have slowly dissipated, and my weight is slowly returning. I still have to wear children’s clothing, as those made for women fall from my frame.

Despite sleeping and eating without throwing up, I haven’t been able to gain back as much weight as I should have. It is as if something is stealing the nutrients from my blood the moment they enter my system.

Mavis’s sultry voice draws me from my thoughts. “Neris will meet us in the living quarters. We figured it was time you saw the rest of our home.”

“You trust me enough?”

“Neris trusts you, and if she does, so do I.”

I can’t help the beam that splits my face in two at the thought of someone trusting my capabilities for once. Trustingme. “You must respect her a lot.”

“Of course I do. She’s my second. She controls my soldiers and helps me run this place. If you can’t trust your own people, who can you trust?”

The smile is immediately wiped from my face. “Right,” I speak slowly. Darkness pools in the corners of my vision and panic licks at my heart.

Shut up,I silence the voices before they even start.They trust me. I am one of them. They will come for me. I am only gathering information.

“What will you do if Rowan comes for me?”

---