Page 141 of An Oath at Midnight

Chanting started in the background, the council had their army, and they were about to start a fucking war. “I’ve seen it. I saw Maria hack up Chase. I fucking saw it. Call the council off, now! You start a war with my family, and you will lose. You’re not just taking on my coven, you’re taking on the hounds, the wolf pack, the bats, the crows, and the knights of Hell as well.”

He released a shaky breath. “How did you see it?”

“I looked into Chase’s mind. He showed me.”

“And you’re sure it was Maria?” he asked.

Anger hit me. “Let me guess. She convinced you to enchant everyone?”

A shaky breath rattled down the line. “I was sure it was Willow. Positive. Maria said…she said I should do it so Willow didn’t get away with killing our friends like she did Elmer. I thought I was doing the right thing… I thought—”

“You thought it was a fast way to get Willow locked away so you could buy the property you wanted and take down the witch you blame for your brother’s death all in one go.”

“I didn’t know,” he said. “I didn’t know what Maria and Ryan were doing.”

“Then call the council off before you start a war you can’t finish, and tell them what happened.”

“Stop,” he yelled. “Stop the spell!” The chanting in the background stopped.

“Where is she, Isaac? Where’s Maria?”

“I don’t know.” He cursed. “She hasn’t been answering my calls.”

I cursed and disconnected. “How the hell are we going to find her?”

“You’re a reaper,” Bram said beside me.

I paced the roof of the hospital. “I don’t even know what I can do?” I said to him, feeling fucking helpless.

“Reapers can find their targets anywhere. They have access to any place they want. Nothing can stop them,” he said.

He was right. I rubbed my hands over my face. “I’m not even sure how I did it in that cell.”

“Those powers are there. They’re part of you. You just have to pull them forward again.”

He was right, of course. Everything had been so crazy, I hadn’t had time to really think about what I could do, apart from the whole touch-me-and-die thing. I needed to slow things down, panicking wasn’t going to help me.

Bram strode over and took my hands. “Sit.”

I sat and Bram did the same.

“Close your eyes.”

I did.

“Breathe deeply. In and out. I want you to focus inward. I want you to remember how you felt, what you did in that cell.”

I did, and that same darkness swirled inside me. Cora’s darkness was gone, but my own, Death’s, they were there, and they were powerful, fierce. I gripped on to it, like I had the day before.

And this time it clicked into place with ease, the power pulsing through me, so strong and wild, violent.

“I haven’t been called to collect Maria’s soul, so I can’t just find her. But I know how I can,” I said and opened my eyes.

Bram was watching me intently, a fierce expression on his face. “You’re fucking amazing.”

“Not without you.” I leaned in and kissed him. I wanted to keep on kissing him, but that would have to wait.

“How do we find her?” Bram asked when I lifted my head.