Page 29 of Ice

The Original Six, the Prophecy, her heritage. She tells me every detail. And with each word that passes her lips, guilt throbs in my belly.

When she stops, I try to arrange my features into an expression that conveys surprise and awe. I’ve no idea if I’m doing it correctly, but Nova doesn’t seem to have guessed that I knew any of this beforehand.

“Wow.” I take my glasses off and clean them gently, trying not to break them.

“It’s a lot,” she shrugs. “I’m still struggling to get my own head around it, if I’m honest.”

“And that’s why Zephyra wants you?” I ask, nodding as if the realization has just come to me.

“She wants my blood. Possibly for her—” Nova searches for the word.

“Product?” I offer.

She nods. “If she laces her FHB with it…” Nova shudders. “I’ve seen what it can do to people.”

I hesitate, betrayal fizzing like acid on the tip of my wretched tongue. “But you said you have a plan? To get us out of here?” I glance at the leather cuffs on her wrists. “How? When you can’t use your magick?”

Nova sighs and combs her fingers through her long auburn hair. It is thick and lush, and hangs over her shoulders in waves. “I don’t know,” she says, looking around the room as if there might be a clue hiding somewhere. “I just know that Kole and I will figure it out. We’ve gotten out of worse scrapes than this.”

“Well, if there’s anything I can do…” I try to smile at her. She buys it and smiles back.

“I’ll let you know,” she nods, rubbing her thighs as if she’s suddenly cold.

“I’m not sure I can be much use.” I shrug. “Literally the only skill I have is detecting demons, and we’re in a nest full of them, so my Spidey senses are going haywire.

“How do you fight them?” Nova meets my eyes. Curiosity brims in hers. “Without powers? What weapons do you use?”

“I usually carry some with me. I’m good with a knife.” I make a show of patting down my sides. “But it looks like they snatched it when they took me.”

“That’s it?” She chuckles a little. “Just a knife?”

“I have other things too… a crossbow, a few potions I bought from local witches. But the knife is the most practical. Easy to transport, easy to hide, easy to—” I make a jabbing motion, jutting out my arm.

Nova smiles. “You must be very proficient. Where did you learn?”

I inhale deeply. I wish she wasn’t trying to get to know me – treating me like a friend. I don’t deserve it.

“I ignored my calling for a long time, When I finally acknowledged it, I sought out some other hunters. They trained me.”

“There are others?”

“Not many.” I stand up because I’m not sure I can talk about this anymore without it inevitably coming around to the subject of Kaitlin. And I can’t talk about Kaitlin. Not here. Not now.

I walk over to the door and bang on it with my fist. “We at least need some water, you god damned monsters.”

Nova doesn’t move, just watches me.

I wish I knew what she was thinking.

But I also don’t… because what if she is starting to suspect me?

If I fail, I’ll lose everything I’ve been striving for since Kaitlin died.

My purpose.

My destiny.

Everything.