Rathe’s hand fisted in my shirt and then he released it. His hand left me and he moved away from me. I had to stop him. He was going to do something and get killed. I turned to see what he was doing so I could block him. The coldness in his eyes was frightening and shocking at the same time. Thankfully, this wasn’t directed at me but toward the warlock who he needed to get the hell away from. He didn’t need to try and protect me because I couldn’t save him then.

“Rathe, listen to me. Just get in the car. Please, please, just get in the car. I can handle this. I swear.”

I heard the warlock sigh loudly. “Yes, Rathe, why don’t you just get in the car.”

The way his eyes narrowed in response was not good. He was going to get killed. I had to stop this. Get rid of the warlock. I’d never been without the ability to use magic.

“You know I have the patience of a ... saint...” the warlock said with a chuckle. I didn’t know who he was talking to or what he was being patient about. However, I was not being patient.

“Well, I don’t! I’m over this. What do you want?” I asked him taking a step in his direction, hoping to deflect from Rathe.

His lips curled up on each end in a sinister confident move.

“Why did you take Margo? Whatever it is you want just tell me. And let her go,” I had meant to sound commanding, but I sounded pleading instead.

“She was a warning,” he replied.

I threw my hands up in frustration. “A warning for what? You won’t tell me why you’re stalking me. I have no idea what you’re trying to get from me.”

He wasn’t looking at me though. His gaze was locked on Rathe standing behind me. There was an unspoken message I was missing. I could see it in the warlock’s eyes. But if I didn’t understand what he was after, then neither would Rathe. His eyes darted back to me and softened if that was even possible. “Catalina, it wasn’t a warning for you.”

“THEN WHO!” I yelled at him completely frustrated with this conversation. I wanted Margo back and I wanted Rathe far away from this madman.

His gaze shifted back over my shoulder to Rathe.

Then Rathe spoke but I didn’t know what he said because it was a language I didn’t understand. It was short and it sounded angry. I spun around. I had to see whether Rathe was really speaking a foreign language or if this was the warlock doing it to him.

But Rathe was no longer there.

I looked at the car to see if he had decided to get inside it after all, but it was empty. I scanned the parking lot, my heart starting to race from the terror clawing at me. I swung back to glare at the warlock who seemed determined to turn my life into a nightmare.