The first light of day crept over the horizon as I stalked up the steps to Malcolm Griffith’s mansion. Lance and one of my guards walked on my left. His name was Tristan, and he was one of the guys I had recruited from The Black Emerald since I didn’t want to risk any more of my most loyal people for this. Both Tristan and Lance kept their expressions stoic, but I could see the worry swirling deep in their eyes. I swept a glance over the blond handcuffed prisoner again, but my gaze kept getting drawn back to the dark-haired person on my other side. Audrey.
She kept her spine straight and her chin raised, but she couldn’t quite hide the embarrassment in her eyes. There was a metal collar around her neck. A chain was attached to it, which I kept a firm grip on, and it rattled faintly with every step she took. My gaze drifted down to her unbound hands.
Five black rings that looked to have been tattooed onto her skin once more encircled her right forearm.
Just seeing her like that made sharp pain stab into my heart. But it really was the only way. The only way to save Henry.
“Well, well, well,” said a smug voice as we reached the massive reception room at the end of the hallway.
The room looked exactly the same as last time I had been there. A rich purple carpet with gold trimmings covered the large open floor-space in the middle of the room while the table for twelve took up position by the wall on my left. Couches and armchairs had been arranged into small groups on the other side. The orange light from the rising sun fell in through the windows and painted streaks of color on the otherwise black glass-like walls and floor.
There were three people standing on the purple carpet, and one person kneeling before them. My eyes immediately went to the muscular man on his knees.
Surprise, gratitude, and regret blew across Henry’s face as he took in the four of us. I scanned his face and body, looking for signs of injury. But apart from the faint bruises on his jaw that had almost faded now, Malcolm appeared to have heeded my warning and kept from hurting Henry further.
Looking up, I shifted my gaze to the trio standing behind him. Malcolm Griffith, wearing one of his sleek black suits, was standing in the middle while Sienna and Grant flanked him. Satisfaction shone in Malcolm’s brown eyes while Sienna’s lips curled into a smirk. Grant, on the other hand, kept a casual expression on his face as he watched us come to a halt a short distance away.
“Lance Carmichael and Audrey Sable.” Raising my arms, I motioned at my two captives while keeping my eyes locked on the shadow mage. “As promised.”
“Indeed.” Malcolm flashed me a smile sharp enough to draw blood. “Isn’t it amazing what people can accomplish when properly motivated?”
Before I could answer, Sienna snapped her citrine eyes to me. “You drugged me.”
“And you framed me for it,” Grant finished.
I raised my eyebrows at them. “You broke your agreements with me. Did you really expect me not to retaliate?”
They shared a glance. Then both of them lifted their shoulders in a casual shrug as if conceding that I did have a point.
“And now the three of you have an agreement.” Cocking my head, I shot them a pointed look. “How long do you think that will last?”
“Long enough for all of us to come after you simultaneously,” Malcolm said. “So you should probably worry more about yourself than about our alliance.”
I snorted. “Good luck with that.”
“Always so cocky.” He slid his gaze to Audrey. “And so are you. Or at least, you used to be.” A malicious smile stretched his lips as he looked between the five black rings around her arm and the collar at her throat. “So, this is what the vicious Audrey Sable is like without her magic.”
“This isn’t over yet,” she growled, speaking for the first time since we entered this mansion.
“Yes, it is. I told you, Audrey. You went too far when you attacked my mansion like that. And now, you will pay the price.” He shifted his gaze back to me. “Let’s get this exchange over with.”
Audrey snapped her gaze to me and took a step back. “Don’t you dare. Don’t you fucking dare. I will not let you trade me like some bargaining chip. To him!”
Each word brought out a storm of emotions in my chest. But instead of showing the whole room what I really felt, I painted a mask of cold arrogance on my face. Rolling the chain up around my hand, I dragged Audrey closer to me. When she was once again standing right next to me, I yanked my hand up, using the chain to force her up on her toes.
“It’s nothing personal,” I said, repeating the same words she had thrown in my face when she had tried to betray me at The First and Last Stop, as I let a smirk slide home on my lips. “Actually, it is.”
Glaring up at me, she snarled, “I will find a way to kill you, if it’s the last thing I do.”
“Whatever you need to tell yourself.” Relaxing my grip on the chain, I let her sink down to the soles of her feet while I returned my attention to Malcolm. “So, how do you wanna do this?”
“Send both of them over,” Malcolm began with a smug smile. “And then I will send Henry back to you.”
“Like hell. I can send over Audrey, then you send over Henry, and then I’ll send Lance to you.”
“So you can run with the Binder the moment Henry is with you? I don’t think so.”
“Fine. I’ll have my guard escort Lance over first. Both to make sure you don’t try to keep both the Binder and Henry, and also as collateral until the whole trade is done. Then you send over Henry. After that, I’ll send over Audrey.”
“Better. Except Audrey comes halfway first, and waits there while we do the rest of the exchanges. Once Henry reaches you, Audrey will start walking towards me at the same time as your guard walks back.”
“Done.”
Next to me, Audrey shook her head. “I won’t do it.”
Touching my palms together, I called up a force blade. Instantaneously, Malcolm, Sienna, and Grant slapped their hands together and summoned magic too. Black shadows snaked over the expensive fabric of Malcolm’s suit while red flames whooshed down Sienna’s arms. Between Grant’s palms was a twisting cloud of a pale violet color. Ignoring them, I simply leveled the force blade at Audrey’s chest.
“You have two options right now,” I began. “Either I shove this through your chest. Or you do as you’re fucking told.”
For a while, she just stared up at me in silence. Then she clicked her tongue and averted her gaze. I let the force blade die out and yanked her chain instead as I started forwards. She followed.
Across the purple carpet, the other three dark mages let their magic fade out as well while Audrey and I walked towards them.
Once we reached the middle, I stopped and turned to Audrey. “Kneel.”
The promise of revenge flashed in her eyes, but she slowly lowered herself to her knees. I withdrew the key to her collar and unlocked it. My heart almost broke at the small breath of relief that escaped her lips when I removed the metal collar from around her neck. Gripping it tightly in my hand, I stalked back to Tristan and Lance without a second look back.
“Good,” Malcolm said. “Now, send over the Binder.”
I slid my gaze to the two men still standing beside me, and then flicked my wrist. They started forward. Avoiding the sight of Audrey on her knees like that, I instead studied the three people on the other side.
Malcolm tracked Tristan’s every move as he and Lance approached them while Sienna watched me intently. Letting the collar slip from my fingers, I dropped it on the carpet and raised my eyebrows at the fire mage. Hell knew what went through her head, and if she decided to do something rash, I wanted my hands free to cast magic. She just flashed me a grin.
On Malcolm’s other side, Grant shifted his observant blue eyes between me, Audrey, and the approaching Binder.
My heart thumped in my chest as Tristan and Lance at last reached the other side. If Malcolm had planned a double-cross, it would happen now.
As if he knew what I was thinking, Malcolm gave me a quick rise and fall of his eyebrows. I flicked my gaze around the room. But in the end, he just bent down and unlocked Henry’s handcuffs.
“Go,” he said as he straightened.
Henry shot one look at Tristan while pushing to his feet. Then he started towards me with long strides.
The tightness in my chest eased with every step that brought him closer. I hadn’t realized how much I depended on and valued Henry until I had almost lost him. For over a decade, he’d had my back. Never doubting me. Never betraying me. Occasionally knocking some sense into me when I needed it, but never treating me as if I was worthless. Even when I truly had fucked up. I had sworn when I left Eldar that I would never bother with friends again. But as I watched Henry stride towards me, and felt that usual steadiness return to my soul, I decided that I might have to make an exception for him.
“I’m sorry,” Henry mumbled as he reached me.
“It’s alright.”
Malcolm met my gaze from across the carpet while Henry moved to stand next to me. “Satisfied?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“Good. Now, Audrey—”
Green mist exploded across the room.
