Xavier strode into the room wearing a white robe with a gold sash around his waist. His dark hair lay slicked back from his head, and symbols had been drawn on his face. I wanted to laugh at my sheer stupidity. I literally walked right into this madness. My brain wanted to shut down. Or crawl in a ball and weep, but I had to get these damn ropes off my wrist. I was not going to let a teenager and his hussy sidekicks sacrifice me.
“It’s time to prepare you for the sacrifice,” he said, his voice modulated to sound deep and foreboding. He raised his arms up, letting the sleeves roll back to reveal intricate whorls of gold on his arms as well. “This will be…” He stopped and looked behind him. “Hurry up!”
Juliette and Bridgette rushed in the room, both wearing similar robes with red sashes. Eyes cast down, they carried clay bowls in their hands, liquid sloshing over the sides.
Oh, dear god. Why the hell did Logan leave me here? I still couldn’t figure that man out. And I honestly didn’t have the time to now. I eased up, tugging at the rope some more. Blood had started pooling in my armpits, and I worried that by the time I did get out, my wrists would be ripped to shreds.
I should’ve been afraid, but for some reason, I didn’t feel the threat. Yeah, they might have figured out some of the ritual to make an Old One, but they would need more than one Nar al-nasaa, and Xavier didn’t have any magick. All the Old Ones had magick before they were altered.
Someone screamed. The sound bounced off the walls, echoing. Xavier glanced to the right, down the opposite tunnel he had emerged from. “One of mother’s acolytes must have figured out her blood was going to be used to help my mother achieve godhood.” He turned and focused on me. A wicked smile of mostly teeth and lunacy crossed his mouth. “You should be happy to be a part of making me a god.”
I was wrong. They didn’t want to create an Old One. They wanted to become gods. How had we missed this? “Xavier,” I said, infusing reason into my tone. “You have no magick. How do you expect this to work?”
“She stole it from me!” he yelled. “She told me she would make me more powerful like my sisters, and I willingly gave that bitch my magick because I believed her!”
Oh, my god. Now. Now, I understood why he had a void where is aura should be. Gavina had stolen her son’s magick. Most likely, he was her first victim—the first one she tested her ritual on. I prayed she hadn’t used sex to get it.
He started taking agitated steps around the room, like he was trying to rein himself in.
I had to free myself while he was occupied. I looked over at Juliette and Bridgette. They still had their eyes cast down, holding those clay bowls of water. They were no use.
“You have to listen to me,” I said, hating that I was pleading with him. But if I didn’t get myself free, he was going to sacrifice me in a fruitless ritual.
“Silence the sacrifice!”
Juliette and Bridgette rushed over to me. Bridgette slapped her hand over my mouth, and I bit down on the palm of her hand. Blood rushed into my mouth.
“She bit me!” she screamed.
Juliette slapped me, hard. She would pay for that.
I yanked; the last thread broke, but I kept my arms up.
“Juliette, please tell me you’re smarter than this. Xavier doesn’t have any magick. How could he possibly make himself a god?”
She looked at me, her face blank. But there was a slight touch of hesitation behind her eyes. Sadly, it was replaced too quickly with one of indifference.
“I have a powerful benefactor on my side. He wants me to punish my mother for her indiscretion. When I saw you hurt her on Sunday, I knew I could use you to help me.”
“Is that why you sent Karl to watch me?” I asked. I knew the answer, but I still wanted to confirm he wasn’t behind it.
He blinked. Staring at me in confusion. “Who is Karl?”
I shook my head. My arms were getting tired. I needed to strike soon, or I’d give myself away.
“He has given me the ritual and promised that if I get to you before my mother does, I would gain power with the spell,” he continued.
His benefactor had filled this idiot’s head with lies.
I tsked at him and shook my head for effect. It was now or never. “Poor Xavier. Living in the shadows of his more powerful sisters.”
His robes bellowed as he lunged for me. His hands went around my neck, and I laughed. “Stop laughing at me!” His rage had consumed him so much that he failed to register my arms were no longer over my head. That I had yanked the switchblade out. Only when the click of the blade being released echoed, did he pause.
“Like I said… Absolutely no power. And no brains, either.” In any other circumstance, I might have hesitated. But I knew if I gave Xavier the chance, he would have ordered Juliette and her sister to tie me to their altar so he could sacrifice me in a futile ceremony. So, I didn’t hesitate. I rammed the blade in his gut and twisted. His eyes narrowed for a second, anger filling him, and then they rolled back. I twisted again, and an anguished cry escaped his mouth.
Bridgette dove for me, but Juliette kept her restrained. Her eyes were focused on Xavier while a twisted smile played across her mouth. I’d have to do something about her. I just didn’t have it in me yet to kill her outright.
I shoved Xavier off me. He curled into himself, blood pooling around him. Juliette got up and brought a rock down on his head. I stared at her, shocked. First, trying to figure out where she got the rock, and second, trying to understand why she did it. In the end, it didn’t matter. I’d wasted too much time in this cave.
“I could kill you,” Juliette said, her chin going up. “I know what the ritual is.”
I shook my head. “You can try. And like Xavier, I will bury my knife in your gut and your sister can watch you die.”
Said sister, finally registering her handsomest man was dead, flew at me with her hands looking like claws. I didn’t have time for this shit. When she was close, I reared back and socked her hard in the face. She went down. Juliette rushed to her sister’s aid. “We’re going to get you.”
I kicked her in the head, knocking her out. “Fuck you!” I would have felt bad for kicking her, but the bitch brought me here, and if I didn’t incapacitate her, she’d come after me. I’d taken Xavier by surprise. I didn’t have the strength right now to fight Juliette and her sister.
With both of them down, I made my way toward where I’d heard the scream. Like Xavier said, the girls must have figured out they were going to be sacrificed. I wasn’t leaving here without at least trying to save them.