“I can’t have a woman who lusts after demons. What about the other incubus? Did you screw him, too?” He favored his left leg—the one she hadn’t stabbed with wood.

“No. I had no idea who Malphus was.” She still needed answers. “How did you find him in the first place?”

“It was my job to watch over you. I followed you some nights after we broke up. I waited outside your window, looking inside. And one night, I saw someone else following you. It made me so angry. I started hitting him, but he was stronger than a human. That’s when I knew. I had to stake him. That’s why I had to make you interrogate him. I needed to see what you’d do. You were willing to hurt him. So I let you go. I had faith in you.” His voice broke. “I was wrong.”

A cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Malphus had been searching for her—just like Miranda had. And Josiah had attacked him not as a noble soldier in the fight against evil, but as a psychotically jealous ex-boyfriend.

As the truth of the situation dawned on her, the rage in her chest burned hotter, flooding her body like a hot magma. Josiah hadn’t been her Guardian. He’d been her stalker.

Her foot flew to his gun, and she kicked it hard out of his hand. It spun over the marble floor.

Josiah glared at her, rolling his shoulders. “I don’t need a gun.”

He uncorked a right hook to Rosalind’s head, but she ducked, and his swing failed to connect. He threw another punch, and his fist grazed her head. Gods damn it. His arms were much longer than hers. This was not a fair fight. What had Aurora told her? That she was awfully preoccupied with fairness, and sometimes bad things happen to good people.

She just needed to keep her distance until the right moment. She backed away, weaving away from his blows until he started to overextend his reach. When he pitched his body forward too far, she slammed her foot into his gut with a front kick, and he doubled over. She used that moment to ram an elbow into his lower back, bringing down the full force of the blow right into his kidney. Josiah grunted, trying to right himself. She threw a right cross, connecting hard with his temple, and he staggered.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins. “Screw you, Josiah.”

As Josiah stumbled back, she scanned the floor for the gun. This was the moment she needed to end this, or get out of there fast. She heard the sound of a gun cocking, and turned to find Miranda pointing the barrel in her face.

Tears streamed down Miranda’s face. “I don’t want to do this. But I know it’s what Josiah wants. And he’s the only one who can keep me safe.”

Horror coiled through Rosalind. “Miranda. You don’t have to do this anymore. You’re free. You can use your magic now.”