teeth against our two forces screaming their ego-ridden signatures. Neither would give, and I pushed on Quen’s circle with my will and my energy, letting more flow through me until it slithered over the elven barrier like oil on water.
His magic would fail. I was stronger. I was stronger!
And with a ping that seemed to echo through me, Quen’s circle fell.
I stumbled, cutting the line from my thoughts before the backlash could find me. I ducked, arm over my face as the wave pulsed through the room, rocking me back. I felt a smile on me as I lowered my arm and turned to Quen. He had bested me once, but now I was a demon, stronger than any who now lived because no one had told me there were limits.
Quen stared, his jaw slack as if he had never considered how much power I could hold.
“Oh, what pretty things I know,” I said, considering what curse to use next. “After I kill you, I kill Trent.” And then I yelped, going down as someone hit me from behind.
It was Trent. I could tell by the feel of his body on mine as we hit the floor, and I howled, frustrated as a band of charmed silver slid over my wrist and the line energy drained from me. “You son of a bastard elf!” I squirmed and he grunted as my elbow found him. The stink of dog filled my nose, and then there was the sound of claws on the carpet as he was dragged away.
“Wake up, Rachel,” Trent gasped, fumbling for a hold. “Wake up!”
“Get off!” I shrieked, bucking as the memory of Trent caging me rose up, potent and hot. I’d been helpless. He had allowed that bastard Jon to torment me—all to prove that I was Trent’s plaything. Not again. Never again. “You will die, and I’ll be the one to do it!”
Infuriated, I pushed up, arms straining, almost getting free until Quen sat on me as well. I went down again, my air huffing out. “You murdering son of a bitch elf. I will slice your gullet and use your guts to soften my cuticles! I will skin you from your ankles to your scalp and put it back on you inside out! I will pour lava down your gullet and laugh at your screams!”
“Take a chill pill, Rache,” the pixy said, hovering before my face, and I shrieked, infuriated.
“Landon never did anything like this,” Zack said as he bent low to look me in the face.
“Landon is a fool,” Trent said as he sat on me, and I struggled to get a hand free. Yes, Landon was a fool, but he wouldn’t be when I got done killing Trent. Once Trent was dead, Landon would be mine. “Quen,” Trent said calmly as he pinned me to the floor. “Do something.”
Quen swooped in close. Finally I got a fist free, smashing it into his nose. Grunting, Quen fell back, a hand to his face as Trent grabbed my arm and twisted it painfully behind me.
“Let go!” I shouted, tears starting. I wasn’t crying. I was furious. There was a sliver of satisfaction at Quen’s anger, but the thought that Landon was right was a bitter truth. Demons were powerful, but when you cut off their access to a line, they had nothing. Once I killed Trent and took Landon’s body, I’d have power that never died, that of the body politic.
“Wake her up!” Trent demanded as he sat on me. “Now!”
“How?” Quen looked at me, one hand on his nose.
“I don’t know. Slap her.”
“Don’t you dare,” I gasped. “Quen, don’t you dare!” I squirmed, taking a huge breath, and tried to rise. They would die. All of them.
“My apologies, Tal Sa’han,” Quen said as he bent low, and then his hand met my cheek.
Pain exploded in my face, sparkles radiating through my skull and my head rocking back. With a snap, my blurred vision steadied. Their auras were gone. The baku was gone. The anger at Quen’s slap was still there, though, and I gasped, breathless from Trent’s weight on me.
“What the hell is wrong with you! I swear, Quen, if you ever hit me again, I’ll put snakes in your sock drawer,” I shouted, totally pissed.
Quen pulled his hand back again, and my eyes widened.
“It’s her!” Jenks shrilled, dropping down before my face. “Quen, it’s her! Can’t you tell?”
Eyes narrowed, Quen peered at me and let his raised hand fall. “Are you sure?”