Chapters (58)
- About the Author
- Title Page
- Imprint Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Map
- Contents
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Acknowledgments
- Endmatter page 1
“How do you choose the witch?” Wrath gave me a look that said question time was drawing to an end. “At least answer this, demon. How many others from your world know who you’re offering the bargain to?”
“Only Pride and I.”
I mulled that over. That actually made the list of suspects greater. Instead of worrying about a spy in Wrath’s kingdom, it opened up the possibility of the victims telling people about the devil’s bargain in this world, too. Then those people who’d been told could have said something, or were overheard by others. A full day was a long time for the gossips to get to work.
Except . . . there was one major issue with that theory. Streghe didn’t spill their secrets. I thought about witch hunters again. Wrath didn’t sound like he thought they were a threat, but I hadn’t found any evidence to completely rule them out. It still made the most sense that they were responsible. Perhaps they’d somehow uncovered who the true witches across the island were, and the devil’s bargain timing was a coincidence.
“Will you tell me who the next witch is?”
“No.”
I considered my options. I could send notes to the twelve other families in Palermo, but there was a chance they could be intercepted. Showing up at their homes or businesses was also risky in case we were being watched, so that wasn’t an option. In these strange times, I had to be very cautious about each of my moves. My good intentions might end up costing someone their life. Hopefully the others were taking precautions after the recent murders.
Wrath stepped to the edge of the bone circle, looking like trouble. “Well? Are you ready to become a member of House Wrath?”
“No. Until you decide to work with me as an equal, I decline your offer of protection.”
His smile was filled with venom. “You weren’t ever planning on accepting the blood trade, were you?” I ignored him and plucked my satchel up from the ground and headed for the cave entrance. Wrath called out, “Where are you going?”
“To the monastery.”
“These are dangerous times; you shouldn’t go alone. Set me free and I’ll come with you.”
As if I’d let that happen. “Next time.”
“Benediximus.” Good luck. “It’s your funeral.”
His dark chuckle followed me all the way back to the city.
Fifteen
Fifteen