Page 50 of Grimoire Omens

“That was when I thought you a simple Earth witch. However, I do believe there is more to you than that. Much more. I thought there was something familiar about your aura, but now, seeing it again, I’m sure.” A low ominous murmur that sent a chill through me.

“I’m not special. If she weren’t dead, my Grams would be happy to tell you what a disappointment I am.”

“Then she was obviously blind. However, I see your potential, which is why this”—he pointed to the book, which suddenly ignited—“isn’t necessary anymore.”

My jaw dropped because I’d not expected him to simply destroy the Grimoire. I mean, good riddance and all, but still, I never did condone destruction of any books, even the bad ones. And what of Cedric? Would this set him free or harm him given his ties to it?

You’d have expected an ancient tome, compiled by witches, would burn ugly. Sickly flames, black noxious plumes, maybe even an explosion or moan as it disintegrated. It simply turned to ash, and the little bit of smoke it emitted as it disintegrated quickly dissipated.

Gryvak smiled. “Now, time for you and I to get to business.”

“I already told you I won’t help you bring demons over.”

“There’s been a change in plan. I don’t need them anymore. Just you.”

A chilling thing for him to say. “I hope you aren’t under the misassumption I’m going to be your queen, because that ship sailed.”

“As if I’d do you that honor,” he sneered. “My new plan doesn’t need me to abase myself, and where we’re going, females do as they’re told.”

Okay, that was even more worrisome than his last statement. “FYI, I don’t travel well. I’m a puker.” Not actually, it happened only the one time after a full day in the sun eating too much junk and imbibing an ungodly amount of frothy, liquor-laced slushies.

“Enough of the arguing. I can tell you’re stalling in the hopes Ulseere returns.”

Gryvak lunged for me, and I made a feeble attempt at escape. I bolted away from the shadow prince, only to realize the stairs down were on the other side and I had nowhere to go but down.

If I jumped, would my magic save me? Not something I wanted to risk, so I resorted to plan B and hollered, “Help! Ulseere, you need to come back! Gryvak is here!”

“Shut your mouth.” The cuff to the back of my head hurt, but the more stinging pain came from me biting my tongue.

Mouth bloody, I whirled and spat, “I should have known you’d be the cowardly type to smack a woman from behind.”

His lips pinched. “I’m thinking a muzzle might be in order once we get to Infernal.”

Look at that, he didn’t need to gag me because I lost my ability to speak. A temporary paralysis before I yelled, “Like fuck am I going there.”

“We are going.” He lunged and snagged me by the arm, drawing a cry of pain. Dude had a strong grip.

And then the most wonderful thing happened.

“Unhand the witch,” Ulseere ordered.

I didn’t take offense at the title because, hello, my hero had arrived and he looked pissed. Mind you he came empty-handed—hello, where was my pizza?—but I’d take rescue over a gooey, cheesy pepperoni-laden pie.

“Do not interfere,” snarled Gryvak.

“Or what? We both know I’ve always been the better fighter. How many times have I thrashed you in training?” Ulseere smirked as he taunted, which led to Gryvak’s fingers digging even deeper into my bicep. I really hoped Ulseere had a plan other than pissing off Gryvak.

“You might have more skill in battle, but there are some areas where I exceed you still.”

“Not that I recall.”

“You forget my lack of mercy.” Gryvak thrust me from him, and I stumbled several feet before righting myself. “Say goodbye to the witch.” The bad prince pointed his finger at me, and I had a millisecond to see the glow of his power building before Ulseere knocked me aside, protecting me from the lightning bolt that came zipping.

The jagged streak of light hit Ulseere, and for a second, I thought he might be okay. Ulseere glowed bright, and the missile of magic that Gryvak fired flattened against a shimmering shield. But Gryvak tossed a second bolt, once more aiming for me, leading Ulseere to grit his teeth and tense his body as he extended his shield to me.

With Ulseere concentrated solely on protecting rather than counterattacking, Gryvak kept lobbing magic, and I could see the strain on Ulseere’s face as he struggled to maintain the shields.

When the glow protecting us both suddenly collapsed, the next lightning bolt Gryvak launched smacked Ulseere in the chest, and my hero hit the rooftop, limbs twitching.