“Does it matter?” Roane held his gaze steadily.
A look passed between the two, and Mavic sighed. “I guess not.”
“She has magic that needs to be unlocked. You said you’re the best.”
“You tease me, Lucas. I should curse you for that.”
Roane laughed and patted him on the back. “This will be your biggest challenge. Imagine how your reputation will soar if you’ve freed a Bright witch.”
“There will be ramifications.”
A hard look came to him. “She’s friends with the thread-holder. That can’t be coincidental.”
“Then the thread-holder should free her.”
“She’s a thread-holder. The Immortal powers are not available to her. You know how they are.”
The sorcerer gave him a grim look. “You insult me again, Roane. Stories of an Immortal have been in the wind and much more as of late. Why do you ask for my help if you continue to insult my ability?”
Roane sighed. “It’s not your abilities I am insulting. It’s you.”
Brown closed her eyes and hung her head. She dared not make a sound. The air was thick with tension; tension that she knew not to ignite. Not the slightest movement . . .
Mavic sighed again. “Why do I put up with your disrespect? I have many who worship my teachings. Many who would give their siblings’ lives to learn from my hands.”
Roane took one step closer. His eyes never moved away and he gave him the slightest smirk. “You are here because you dare not make me an enemy, and we all know how you love gossip. You’ve been given a window to see if those slight murmurs of an Immortal are true. We both know your ego is not so grand that it will get in the way of even the possibility of meeting an Immortal.”
Brown counted her breaths. One. Two. Three. Neither man spoke. Neither man moved.
“The witch will come to my dwelling. I will train her there.”
“You will train her here.”
“Lucas, I cannot. All my supplies, all my books, everything is at my home.”
“You packed a bag. You knew I wouldn’t allow it. She will remain here and she will be under watch.” Roane stepped close, so close his nose nearly touched the sorcerer’s. “If you harm her or my men in any way, I will hunt you down.” His eyes turned lethal. “And I am the best there is.” He stepped back and cast a sweeping gaze over both of them. “Start her training now. I want it done as soon as possible.”
And with those parting words, he swept out the door. Two vampires entered behind him. They both took their guarding position, just inside the room.
Mavic lifted closed fists in the air and cursed under his tongue.
Brown frowned, it was in a language she had never heard, but she wanted to learn it. She wanted desperately to know everything this sorcerer knew, even if Roane didn’t trust him. If she was going to get her magic back to help Davy, this witch was her best shot. She gave him a bright smile. “So . . . where do we start?”
DAVY
Everything was a blur when I opened my eyes. Then the light blasted me and I screamed, lurching backwards in retreat. Anything would do to hide from it. I had to get away. My skin started to boil from the inside out. I felt it starting to peel away, layer by layer. That light, it was all because of the light.
A deep baritone laughed. He was enjoying my pain.
Lucan.
I gritted my teeth and tried to think of a retort, anything to shut him up. But then, I realized it wasn’t him. He annoyed me, but this voice hurt me. When he laughed again, pain flared through my body. Millions of tiny knives were slicing through my skin. Each one took its time. I screamed again and tried to writhe away, from him, from the light, from everything.
It hurt to breathe. The knives pierced my throat. I drew in a breath, and they slid deeper.
Then, nothing. Everything stopped.
I gasped and shot upright. There was no one in the room with me. My cage was still in the center, encased in darkness. There was no light anywhere.