Persie Merlin and the Witch Hunters - Bella Forrest Page 0,111

pictured him swaying on his coils, wishing me into his Bestiary box with him. As pleased as I was that he was stuck in his prison, unable to get his tentacles on me, there was a teensy part of my consciousness that wondered if I might feel more confident if he was here in the fishery. I had some faith in Reid, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing this, but having an ancient monster for a bodyguard certainly would’ve stopped the nerves from getting the better of me.

I need you to go aw— My attempt at sending his telepathic ass away was cut short by another voice, echoing between the dilapidated walls of the fishery.

“Persephone?” Reid called. “Are ye here? It’s me, Reid.”

Run! Leviathan’s yell exploded in my head. Run, NOW! I’d never heard him panic before, but the fear in his words flooded my own emotions, ratcheting my anxiety up to terrifying proportions. Persephone, please! This will end badly for you. Run while you can!

It’s fine, I replied defiantly. This is why I came here. I waited for a snarky response or another shout, but nothing came back. I must have pushed him out with those last words, though I had no idea how. Usually, he stuck around for as long as he wanted. Now he was gone, giving me a chance to think clearly as the poison of his heightened emotions drained out of me. I took a shaken breath and peered into the gloom as a solitary shadow crossed the threshold.

“I’m here,” I said, relieved that he was alone.

Reid sighed loudly, pretending to wipe his brow. “I thought ye’d bailed on me when ye said ye were runnin’ late. Did ye bring what I need?”

“I did.” I reached into my pocket for the bronze ball, only to freeze as my fingertips closed around it gently, careful not to activate it. Reid had stepped further into the fishery, moving toward the sound of my voice. And behind him, silhouetted in the dim twilight, more shadows came to block out the light entirely.

I was wrong. I was alone. He wasn’t.

Thirty

Persie

“What the hell are you playing at?” I battled the tremor in my voice. “This isn’t what we agreed. You said you’d come alone. You said you wouldn’t get any of your people involved. That was the deal!”

Reid neared, tilting his head in confusion. “What de ye mean?”

“Them.” I pointed at the shadows amassing in the fishery doorway.

A startled gasp escaped his throat as he took them in. “No… no, this ain’t meant te happen.” He whirled back around to face me. “I swear te ye, Persephone, this ain’t me. I didn’t do this. I stuck by yer rules.” He rushed closer, putting himself between me and the encroaching shadows. “I’m sorry, Persephone—they must’ve followed me. I thought I were bein’ careful, but they must’ve… Ah, dammit te hell! I’m so sorry.”

Leviathan tried to warn me… He wanted to protect me. He’d given me a chance to run, and I’d ignored him. Now, I was trapped inside this fishery with no way out, and I had no idea whether to believe Reid or not. He looked as alarmed as I felt, but if I’d learned anything from Genie today, it was that people could be unexpectedly proficient actors when they wanted to be—and especially when they needed something.

“Just stay behind me,” Reid whispered, squaring his shoulders to make them even broader. “I ain’t goin’ te let aught happen te ye, not after what ye’ve done for me. I mean it. They’ll have te go through me first.”

“Why should I believe you? Who’s to say you didn’t set this up?” I hissed back, as the shadows started to take shape. I counted ten—eight men, two women—all wearing the same grim expressions, their eyes glinting menacingly in the faint, dusky light that managed to eke in from outside. Even if Reid was telling the truth, these people clearly intended to do me harm. After all, I was the enemy. I didn’t need it spelled out—these were the witch hunters.

Reid reached behind him and grasped my hand. His palms felt rough with callouses, but were surprisingly warm to the touch. “I didn’t, I swear on me life. Why would I? Ye were lookin’ into gettin’ the antidote for me—I’ve got no reason te want te hurt ye or set ye up like this. I did me best te be cautious, but I must’ve slipped up somewhere.” He gripped my hand tighter. “But I’m goin’