Page 91 of Bedeviled

He glances up at Memnon just as, across the phone, Irina gasps. Her breath hitches. “How was I able to say…?”

“The bond between you and Cole is broken,” Memnon says stoically. “You’re free.”

CHAPTER 20

It’s quiet in the room for several seconds after the call ends, though the sound of Irina’s sobs seem to still echo in the room.

I stare at Memnon in wonder, even as the tension ratchets up between him and Cole. The man almost sheepishly takes his phone back, tucking it away again.

He then eyes Memnon, rubbing his chest absently, still looking like he did body shots with Death.

“Thank you,” he finally says, a myriad of emotions playing out on his face. The least of them is gratitude. I mean, if someone threatened me, called me a coward, then killed me (albeit briefly), I might not be overwhelmed with gratitude either. Still, Cole was so desperate for his life mere minutes ago, but now that he has essentially gotten what he wanted, it seems to have left a bad taste in his mouth.

For my part, my eyes keep returning to Memnon, and I cannot help but stare wondrously at him as he rises from the ground.

He broke a bond made unto death. All for a bonded woman he knew nothing about.

This world is still ours to rule and shape however we see fit. Help me shape it into something that pleases you.

This is what Memnon had meant. He’s trying to right Leonard Fortuna’s wrongs.

Cole begins to get up, but Memnon presses a foot to his chest. “We’re not done, Kincaide.”

The man tenses on the ground as he stares up at Memnon. Does he see the warlord in Memnon’s eyes? The man who has dethroned kings and massacred entire legions of men?

Based on the way his sickly pallor pales further beneath that fake tan, I think he must.

“Now, you’re going to tell me all about these associates,” Memnon commands.

I can see the whites of Kincaide’s eyes when he nods. “I’ll tell you everything,” he says, his voice weak with fatigue. “Just let me up.”

Memnon removes his foot from the man’s chest. This time, Cole gets up slower, eyeing my soul mate warily. Kincaide sways a little as he stands but plays it off as though he were simply straightening his suit.

“Zachary Greer and Samuel Zhang are the two I overheard speaking on this when I saw them last,” he says a little breathlessly.

Memnon nods. “I appreciate your honesty, but I don’t need your words. Just your thoughts.” He steps in then.

“Seriously, what the fuck—?” Cole’s voice slides away as Memnon’s power takes root. His eyes roll up and his eyelids flutter as Memnon raids the man’s mind.

It takes little more than a minute, the room deathly silent the whole time.

Abruptly, the sorcerer releases Kincaide, who stumbles, then falls to the ground.

“That’ll be all,” Memnon says, dismissing him. “Nice doing business with you.”

For a split second, Kincaide appears confused, then his cheeks turn ruddy again. And I really do understand his anger. First he was mocked by Memnon, then he was killed by the dude, and finally he was mindfucked by him. Kincaide Cole is having a rough morning, to say the least. I’d feel bad for the guy except he enslaved a young woman for the better part of a year. So honestly? Fuck the dude.

“Who in the seven devils do you think you are?” Kincaide asks as Memnon returns to his desk.

The corner of Memnon’s mouth curves into an amused smile, but when Kincaide’s attention swings to me, the expression falls away entirely.

“Stare at my wife any longer, and I will rip your eyes from their sockets and feed them to you.”

Kincaide’s head snaps back to Memnon.

“You were asking me who I am, Kincaide,” the sorcerer says conversationally. “I’m a monster who delights in killing other monsters. I have done it before, and I will do it again.

“So get out of my office and don’t return.”