Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

To Caia’s surprise, she watched Reuben relax. “I apologize. I have to stop treating you as if you were an enemy. We need this, Caia. Please take your time.”

“Putting aside the moral magnitude of what you’re asking me to do … I don’t even know if I have the capabilities to take out that many people in one go.”

Reuben smiled softly. “You incinerated four magiks only a few weeks ago … simultaneously.”

“You think that was easy?”

“I think some were misguided magiks—not truly evil—and you killed them, without thought, to protect those closest to you. Think on this as the same thing. Killing the Septum will protect the people you love.”

She flinched at the reminder of what she’d done, knowing he was deliberately playing on her guilt. “You are a horrible person.”

He gave a huff of laughter. “Perhaps I am.” He turned then and opened the door. Quietly, she followed as they led her out of the stone room and down a narrow, dank corridor. She might’ve been imagining things but she could’ve sworn they were in a castle.

“I don’t sense fear from you, Caia,” Reuben mused as they strode through the maze of dimly lit halls.

“Should I be afraid?”

“No. Should I?” He grinned.

“Definitely.”

Finally, they came to a stop outside one of the many doors they’d passed. Nikolai pushed it open and a stream of light blinded her as Reuben nudged her inside. She blinked, adjusting to the brightness, and her eyes widened at her surroundings. “Wow, this is not what I was expecting at all.”

The circular room looked as if it might have once been a tower room. Now a panoramic window spanned a good portion of one wall. The mahogany hardwood flooring contrasted sharply with the soft white walls. The room was filled with modern furniture, including a sectional and a four-poster bed.

Caia moved toward the window, her eyes soaking up the stunning countryside. “That’s fake, right?”

Nikolai chuckled. “Yes. But why have windows without a view to go with it?”

“Well, I like it.”

He smiled and shared a triumphant look with Reuben.

“Doesn’t mean I like you all.”

That wiped the smirk off their faces. Good.

Reuben cleared his throat. “We’ll leave you alone with this.” He handed over the Septum.

As soon as they left, Caia flopped down on the sofa and held on to Nikolai’s trace as he and Reuben walked through the building. A building that no longer resembled a castle. Glamour. Damn Nikolai. He was way more powerful than she’d like. The building now appeared to be more of a large, stylish mansion than an old castle.

Caia frowned. Nikolai’s trace was different. Usually his thoughts were covered in thick smog, and she could only ever get surface thoughts. Today she could feel him more deeply, clearly, in the trace. She remembered what Reuben said about manipulating Nikolai’s trace and wondered if perhaps he’d relaxed his control on it to appease her. Hmm.

The two men entered a large reception hall that paid court to a grand antique staircase. The staircase descended toward them before pausing briefly at a small landing that branched off into two more staircases like wide, welcoming arms. Almost immediately, a tall, broad figure appeared at the bottom of the far right of the stairs.

“Vanne.” Reuben frowned, heading toward him.

Caia gasped, feeling Nikolai’s anticipation at Vanne’s appearance. He was thinking something must’ve happened at the Center.

Vanne! Caia began to sweat at the implication. Nikolai was familiar with Vanne? Friggin’ Hades! Vanne was one of them? Just how deep did Reuben’s infiltration of the coven go?

“We have a problem.” Vanne looked frantic.

“We know about the Council.” Reuben shrugged him off.

“Do you know Marita is going to have them executed in a week’s time?”

Reuben’s jaw dropped, an expression Caia was guessing was rare for him. “Is she insane?”

“She is completely unraveling. She won’t listen to anyone. She’s told Marion that Caia has betrayed them—that’s her excuse for holding Lucien and Ryder prisoner. Marion has refused to believe her but was met with a threat of imprisonment herself if she didn’t stop her ‘nonsense.’”

Reuben swore. “We need the Council if our plan is to succeed. They’re too powerful to lose.”

Vanne nodded. “There’s more. Marita has Caia’s pack under guard. They’re all holed up at Lucien’s home, surrounded by magiks. Lucien, Ryder, and the pack children were all taken. I know Lucien and Ryder are in the containment center, but I have no idea what she has done with the children.”

The blood rushed in Caia’s ears. That witch had Lucien and the kids and Ryder! Without thought, Caia burst out of the room, racing with an ever-thrashing heartbeat through the mansion toward the trio. She burst into the reception area. “We need to get them back!”

Annoyance flickered across the vampyre’s face. “I might have known you were following Nikolai’s trace rather than doing what we asked you to do.” He gestured toward the scroll crushed in her hand.