Now I knew what was in the tea. If I’d actually swallowed it down, chances were it would’ve blocked my power. Thank God I’d only tasted the tiniest drop.

I used rhymes to access my magic, because I felt like they gave me strength, but I didn’t need to say the words aloud. I didn’t need words at all. I just liked them.

That was the problem. I used them as a crutch.

The Fathers moved my body like I was a doll, and their dark auras seeped into me wherever their cold fingers touched. They dragged me into the middle of their circle.

A knife burned as it cut along my arms. The metallic scent of my blood filled the room.

I had to focus. They wouldn’t steal my magic. Luciana hadn’t managed it. And these three douches wouldn’t either. I just had to get enough magic out so that I could scream.

Lucas would come. If he really was what he thought he was to me, then he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. I prayed I was right, because I’d only get one chance.

I closed my eyes and felt the tiny trickle of magic I had left.

Release my voice. Release my voice. Release my voice.

I said the simple spell over and over in my head, until I was sure—or as sure as I could be—that it had worked.

The two brujos started chanting as Matt watched over me with a smug look.

The scent of sulfur filled the room.

I sent a silent prayer that my spell worked, took a breath, and screamed as loud as I could.

The men froze in stunned silence for a second. The chanting was gone, and the smell of sulfur vanished.

I heard a howl in the distance.

Lucas. I wasn’t safe yet. Not nearly, but a wave of relief washed over me. I wasn’t alone this time.

“You stupid fucking bitch.” Matt’s kick landed in my side, knocking the breath from me.

I couldn’t move to protect myself. All I could see was his foot as it came toward my face.

Then I saw nothing at all.

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

I woke up swinging and screaming.

Someone grabbed my wrists and pressed them into the mattress above my head. It hurt. Everything hurt.

The room was too dark to see. I screamed again. “Let me go!”

“Stop, Claudia. You’re okay.”

I froze. Lucas. “Where am I?”

“Your hotel room. If you promise to hold still, I’ll turn on the light. But you’re hurt. So just… Please don’t move, okay?”

I nodded. “Okay.” The terror was slowly fading and the more it did, the more I could feel the aches across my body. “What happened?”