Shadows of Demise (The Warrior Angels Trilogy - Book 3)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Beatrice's head felt heavier than her body when she began to awaken. She grunted softly, half-expecting to open her eyes and realize this had all been a terrible nightmare. Then she blinked open her eyes slowly and came face-to-face with a brick wall and a lit torch. When she tried to move, she found herself restrained. She glanced down and saw ropes tying her down to a chair.

"What is this?" she asked.

"You're awake!" Maribel cried.

"Mar?" Beatrice spotted Maribel sitting on the other side of the room, equally tied up. She groaned and yanked on the ropes to no avail.

"He captured me, too," Maribel said, her voice softer. "Before I fainted, he told me he knew I was still working with you. He called me clever, yet not clever enough."

"You are clever, Mar. He is merely a monster."

"That's offensive," Julian spoke from over her shoulder. Beatrice gaped back at him, but he quickly stepped around her.

"When I met you, you were a good-for-nothing thief without a brain," she said. "I am glad to know I was right all along."

"And what did I steal this time?" He lifted his brows. "Your heart?"

Beatrice gritted her teeth. Julian leaned down, grinning. He looked almost exactly as she remembered—green eyes and unruly auburn curls. Every trace of the round cheeks he used to have, however, was gone.

"I made a promise to myself," she said. "I will kill you."

Julian stood upright and frowned. "That isn't fair, Beatrice. I didn't bring you here to kill you. Your death is the furthest thing from my mind." He brought a hand forward, and she narrowed her eyes at it. The moment his fingers caressed her chin, she set his sleeve aflame.

Julian chuckled and shook his arm once, dissipating her magic as if it'd been nothing but a fly touching him.

"How did you do that?" Beatrice demanded. "That is not possible. It should not be possible!"

"What? Do you think I was relaxing on a beautiful beach the entire time I was away?" He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "How little you think of me. That shouldn't surprise me anymore. You've always believed you're better than everyone else—"

"Enough with the dramatics! What do you want from me?"

Julian smiled. "We will get to that, don't worry. Oh and don't bother trying to teleport out of this. You can't teleport if you're tied up." He winked and moved away from her, making his way toward Maribel.

Beatrice gasped. "If you hurt her—"

"Oh Beatrice. Contrary to your belief, I am not a monster." Julian halted in front of Maribel and tilted his head. Beatrice wished she could see the look on his face. Judging by Maribel's blank expression, she assumed he was still smiling.

"Don't think I forgot about you," he said. "I have very special plans for you, too."

Beatrice froze.

"Why are you doing this?" Maribel asked. "What do you gain from everything if you do not intend to hurt Her Majesty?"

"Because it is not Beatrice that I need, sweet one. I want the healer."

"No," Beatrice uttered.

Julian whirled around. His eyes appeared black in the lighting, and she nearly shivered. But she held her ground and took a deep breath.

"You are going to use us to get to him?" she questioned.

"In a sense."

"What does that mean?"