He inclined his head. “Bambi has been with me for a long time. Not that I have favorites, but she is...special to me.” Roth’s gaze was fixed on the road. “When Layla was hurt by her clan, I couldn’t fix her. She was so bad off and she was...” His jaw clenched. “She was dying, and that meant I would do anything to save her.”

I stayed silent, letting him speak even though Zayne had already told me most of this.

“There are good witches and there are bad ones. Faye’s coven worships Layla’s mother, Lilith, so I’m sure you can figure out which side they landed on.”

The side that had no problem selling enchantments to use on humans who’d ended up slaughtered. Anger simmered, prickling at my skin.

“We’d figured they’d be willing to help save Layla to score brownie points with Lilith,” he explained. “Cayman went to see them and came back with a cure. I didn’t know until later that they’d demanded Bambi in exchange.”

“Would knowing that have changed anything?”

“No,” he answered without hesitation. “They could’ve asked for my life and I would’ve handed it over to save her.”

I had already guessed that, but I was still surprised. His actions were so...undemon-like.

“I could’ve refused,” he added.

“Why didn’t you?”

“If I had, then Cayman would’ve died. He’s a demon broker, Angel Face. Their life is bound to their word.”

I stared at his profile. Again, so very undemon-like.

“Anyway, I want Bambi back, and you’re going to help me get her.” He pulled into a parking space.

I blinked. “How am I supposed to help?”

Roth smiled at me, and a chill swept along my neck. “You’re going to use your special Trueborn badassery and take that coven out.”

14

My grace came alive like a spark giving way to flame.

Now that was definitely a very demon-like thing to request, but still, I was shocked. I stared at Roth, dumbfounded and sure I must have heard him wrong.

Did he seriously just ask me to kill not just one but an entire coven of people? Bad people. Bad people who’d betrayed us, but come on. He couldn’t be serious.

He let out a laugh that would’ve been charming if it hadn’t come after him demanding that I kill an entire coven of witches. “You should see your face.”

“I don’t need to see it to know it has WTF written all over it,” I told him.

Roth leaned toward me. I tensed, and I thought he noticed based on the way his smile grew. “It’s almost like you forgot who I am.”

“I haven’t.” The muscles in my back became rigid.