He had one hand braced on the side of the quarry as he leaned over his son. Out of the corner of her eye, Kami saw Rob’s hand: big, square, rough, and capable. She forced herself to stay quiet in her hiding place. She saw Angela lying perfectly still beneath her chains.
“You couldn’t do it?” Rob Lynburn sneered.
“I know her,” Ash said in a low voice. “I can’t … hurt someone I know.”
Kami heard the hesitation, the way he could not bring himself to even say “murder” or “kill.”
So did Rob.
“I wonder if you’ll ever have the strength to be a real sorcerer,” Rob said. Ash flinched at every word, as if each one was like his father was piling stones on his chest. “You have to understand they’re not like us. They would take control of us if they could. Would you want to be a slave to one of them like your cousin?”
Ash lifted his head. “No,” he said hoarsely.
Angela went tense. So did Kami.
Rob echoed their fear in a voice full of anticipation. “So have you changed your mind?”
Kami hated Ash for doing this to Angela, but something about his anguished face did make her wonder. What would have to happen, what pressure would have to be applied by someone who was supposed to love you, before picking up the knife seemed like your best option?
Ash’s restless, glittering gaze met Angela’s, wavered, and held.
“No,” he said. “I haven’t changed my mind.”
“Then I’ll have to do it,” said Rob, and pulled the larger Lynburn knife from his belt. It shone like treasure in the sunlight, marred by dark lines across the grooved blade. Kami realized the lines were her own blood.
The weapon made a bright arc as Rob swung it down toward Angela.
Angela rolled out from under the chains, gathering one up and wrapping it around her fist even as she whirled. She swung her chain into the side of Rob Lynburn’s head.
“Go on and try,” she suggested.
Now Kami understood what Ash had meant when he told her he had already chosen, when he told Angela that he had not changed his mind. He had set Angela free before Kami even entered the quarry, and they had arranged her chains to look like she was still bound.
Rob staggered. Angela hit him again.
Rob fell on his face and Ash scrambled away, dropping his knife as he retreated from his father. Kami watched as Angela stood braced, centering herself as Rusty had taught them, and brought the chain down in another unstoppable arc.
The end of the chain struck Rob on the face, laying open his cheek. There was blood on the stone now, but not the bloo
d Rob Lynburn had been planning on. He would never have anticipated that an ordinary human could attack him like this. Angela brought the chain down again hard, splitting the skin of Rob’s back.
The floor of the quarry trembled, a crack running between Angela’s feet, and Angela pivoted and slammed her foot down on his neck.
“I don’t think so,” she said, and rained down blows.
The wish for revenge burned fierce in Kami too, along with Jared’s, protective and furious. Even so, Angela looked almost terrible. When Angela’s arm was caught and her next blow fell short and useless, she nearly snarled in thwarted rage, blinked and focused on Ash.
Ash was panting. “You can’t beat my father to death!”
“Can’t I?” Angela panted back. She let her mouth curve more fully, into the shape of a scythe. “Watch me.”
Ash did not let go of her arm. Angela looked down at Rob Lynburn.
Kami had promised to stay still and be quiet, no matter what. She believed in Angela enough to keep her promise. Rob was down, Ash was on their side, and Jared and Lillian were coming. They could contain Rob.
Angela flicked her gaze from the father back up to the son and stepped back abruptly. Then she offered Ash the hand not holding the chain.
Ash glanced at her upturned palm, then back at her face.