Page 125 of An Oath at Midnight

“I think we need to trust Mags.”

Everyone turned at the new voice in the room.

Willow stood in the doorway, Warrick behind her. Ren, Relic, and Jagger hovered at the door as well.

Daisy ran to her oldest daughter, pulling her into her arms, Iris, Rose, and Jasmine following.

“I missed you so much,” Daisy said, brushing her hair back. “But it’s not safe, the council still thinks you could be involved.”

Warrick growled. “I tried, but she wouldn’t stay the fuck put.”

“No one has to know I’m here, and if they do, well, there’s a bunch of hellhounds and my familiar to get through first,” Wills said. “Lucifer told me what was going on. I couldn’t stay away. I won’t let Mags rot in that place, but she’s not powerless. Give her a chance to figure this out, and if all else fails, we declare war.”

Figure it out? “No, we get Mags now,” I growled. “She’s been in there too fucking long already.”

Several heads turned my way at my barked words, surprise on more than one face.

“Didn’t know you could speak, crow,” Warrick said and snorted, then dismissed me, turning back to Daisy. “Not cool with us making a move if it puts my mate in danger—”

“Then your mate stays out of it,” I bit out. I wasn’t in the mood for the hounds and their bullshit, not tonight. “Because nothing is getting in the way of me getting to mine, especially not you or your brothers, understand?”

The room went silent.

Warrick straightened and turned my way, his gaze slid over me, then up to the side of my shaved head before his eyes met mine again. “Nice markers. They new?”

Relic chuckled behind him.

“No.” My gaze slid to Relic. “And I’m looking to add to them. Just give me a reason.”

Relic smiled wide, flashing his long canines.

Warrick moved around Willow to stand in front of me. “You telling me you’d take on the whole pack to get to our Mags, crow?” Warrick said.

“She’s my Mags. And I wouldn’t need to. You’re not the only one with brothers who like tearing shit apart,” I said.

Warrick barked out a laugh and thumped me on the arm. The male had more power than one being should have, but I managed to stand my ground and not rock back. “Good to hear, brother,” he said and gave me another bone-jarring thump. “But we’re not going off half-cocked and risking anyone in this family, not until we know there isn’t another way.”

“I don’t give a fuck what you do. I’m going to bring my female home,” I bit out, then strode out of the house.

CHAPTER 31

Magnolia

My scars felt as if they were being torn open.

I lay on the floor, my arms locked around my knees, and tried to breathe through the pain. The floor was cold through the thin cotton gown, somehow making it worse. It’d never been this bad. No one was touching me, but I was on fire. I bit my lip harder, drawing blood, then cried out, unable to hold it in another moment.

“Hurts, does it?” a voice called.

A familiar voice.

I ground my teeth, of course those assholes would put me in a cell opposite Cora—the evil bitch who’d tried to kill us all during Willow’s trial. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were watching our reunion for their own entertainment. It took everything I had, but I managed to crawl to the glass wall and pull myself up.

Cora watched me, several feet back from the glass of her own cell, her expression filled with glee. She’d changed, a lot. The sweet old-lady facade was long gone. In front of me stood a stooped crone with yellowed teeth and bloodshot eyes. Her once soft, gray hair was a tangled mess on her head.

“Still a twisted bitch, then?” I said, staring back at her.

“Apparently, it takes one to know one, Magnolia. I hear you’ve been a very bad girl.” She made a tutting sound. “Torturing and killing all those people like you did. Feels good, though, doesn’t it? Making people bleed?”