Page 127 of An Oath at Midnight

Still, I felt her.

I felt my Magnolia.

She was in that fucking place, and I was going to get her out. I wasn’t sure I could do it alone, though. “What do you think?” I asked my brothers.

Payne studied the building. “I think your plan’s sound.”

“It could bring heat our way. If you’re having second thoughts, I’ll understand,” I said to them.

Payne smiled. It was vicious as hell. “There won’t be any heat, baby brother, I promise you that.”

Rook grunted. “There is? Easy fix.” He dragged his thumb across his throat.

Talon laughed. “Bring on the fucking heat.” Then he bounced on his feet and cracked his neck.

“Magnolia’s one of ours now,” Payne said. “We look after our own.”

“I’ll take first shift?” Talon said and exploded into the sky.

The only way to get in was using someone who already had access, someone who worked at Umbra. The cleaning crew, a doctor, a cook, it didn’t matter. Talon would see them coming, and we’d stop them and take their place before they were let in.

I paced away and back, near fucking vibrating with the need to get to her.

“Breathe,” Payne said. “We’ve got this.”

I opened my mouth to reply when a crack of sound rolled from the building, making the ground shake. “What the fuck?” A shimmering light wavered around the asylum, then the fucking ward dropped. I felt the invisible shield crashing down with a ground-shaking rumble.

“Magnolia.” Somehow, she’d done it.

My brothers and I shadowed out and shot across the field behind the building. The world swam around me, spinning and moving as we flew around the side and to the main doors, Talon swooping down to follow.

The massive iron doors wouldn’t stop us. Not much could, which was why we were so deadly. With the ward down, I easily slid through the tiniest gap and into the building.

I let my instincts guide me down the hall to the stairs beside the elevator, my brothers following close behind.

I was about to dive down the stairwell when the numbers above the elevator flashed, shooting up from the basement. I stopped, because I felt her so fucking strongly now. Shifting into my human form, my heart hammered in my chest, and I stepped back.

The elevator dinged, reaching our floor.

Then the doors slid open.

Mags stood there, head down, looking so fucking small. Her black, wavy hair was wild covering her face. Her little curvy frame was swamped in a plain cotton gown, her feet bare. Then she lifted her head, and I fucking froze. She stared straight ahead—her eyes white, fingers black tipped—and her fucking bones were glowing, I could see them through her skin, making her face a skeletal mask.

She stumbled forward.

“Mags,” I choked out.

She walked out, hugging herself. Then she doubled over with a groan of pain and fell to the floor.

I ground my teeth, wanting to scoop her up in my arms so fucking badly I had to curl my fingers into fists at my side. Because I couldn’t. I couldn’t touch her. I crouched beside her. “Maggie? Look at me, baby.”

She blinked up at me, her skin, her eyes returning to normal. “B-Bram?”

“I’m here.” This was fucking torture. “I need you to stand, can you stand?”

She nodded, then spotted my brothers and, gasping in pain, dragged herself to her feet.

“What the fuck did they do to you?” There was no mistaking the pain etched into her beautiful face.