“I was hoping that she wouldn’t be out until Monday.”
“What happens if I leave?” I met Levi’s gaze.
He swallowed. “You’ve seen what he does to warlocks and witches that go against his wishes.”
Torture.
I closed my eyes for a moment. “I have a question.”
Levi motioned for me to go on.
“What’s to keep Samuel from commanding you to kill me or change me?”
Both Levi and Mari cringed.
“Nothing then?” I looked into my coffee. “What happens if I kill him?”
Levi jerked. “He could command that I stop you.”
I nodded. “But if you’re not around for that command?”
“Samuel has never had contact with his maker, it’s likely the death would go unpunished,” Levi stated and looked at Mario.
I smirked. “Fine, we play his game. For now.”
“What are you planning, Abigail?” Levi asked.
I shook my head. “Oh no, there’s no way I’m sharing with you. On that note, I’m going to go take a long bath and relax until Liz gets up here.” I drank the rest of my coffee. “To be clear, it was stated that I had to stay here until after my birthday party, correct?”
Levi nodded. “Correct. It’s a game to him.”
“Then he’s going to show up.”
“There will be no weapons at your party,” Mario stated. “We negotiated for that for a reason.”
I looked over my shoulder at him while I was walking out of the kitchen. “I’m a witch, Mario. I don’t need weapons.”
I didn’t miss the smirk on his face, but there was also the worry and stress on Levi’s face.
I rounded the corner and headed to the main bathroom that had a soaking tub. A hot bath would help me relax and think through the idle threat I had just made.
I killed Ira.
But could I kill Samuel?
I got into the bathroom and stripped down while I ran the tub. It meant freeing Levi from the one and only fear he’d ever shown.
Dipping into the bathtub, I decided I could kill Samuel because it would make everything better.
I snorted and closed my eyes as the water sloshed around me. When did I become that person where killing became the one thing that solved all my problems?
By the time I got out of the bath, Liz had shown up, and I found her chatting with Levi in the media room. She smiled at me when I walked in.
“You look pretty damn good for just being released today.” I sat down on the overstuffed chair.
She shrugged. “Helps when you know a healer or two. Levi filled me in on everything. We have time. I found Gabby.”
“What about Jude?”
“She’s safe for now too. I jumped the gun, thinking that Adrianna had them. I’m glad they’re both safe.”
There was a tightness to her words and her face that didn’t convince me she was speaking the truth. I glanced at Levi, and he nodded either to confirm what I thought or to tell me to just go with it.
I went with it. “Good. We have time to plan then. Leaving the mansion isn’t an option for me without putting everyone in danger. We plan, we get through my birthday party, and then we go back to business as usual.”
Assuming we survived the birthday party.
Liz nodded. “I asked O’Donald for extra help on the case.”
I cringed. “He’s sending Nick, isn’t he?”
“He’s sending Nick, but that’s okay for now. He doesn’t know that you’re involved, so he’s sending Nick in good faith. If Nick wants to keep his cover, whatever that is. He’ll work as a proper PIB agent.”
I smirked. “Make him do research. He hates doing research.”
“I already have him on it since he has access to the PIBs database. He’ll be able to get the images you need.”
“Have you heard from Mason?”
She nodded. “Yeah, he’s working on something for me. Sorry to take him away from you as a resource, but I needed him to go sit with the little girl.”
“Okay, as long as I can get the crime scene pictures, we’ll be good.”
Levi stood. “Now that I know you two aren’t going to just run off, I have business to attend to. Abigail, the council has requested you later tonight.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Okay.”
Much to my delight, Levi didn’t roll his eyes. He just walked out of the room.
Liz looked at me. “Council meeting, must be important.”
“Probably just making sure that I’m going to comply and not put the king in danger.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s already been drilled into me how important it is that I stay. And I plan on staying until the deal is up.”
“Good. I’ll be staying up here too. Levi has agreed to it, and it’s safer for me here until we can figure out a plan to take out Adrianna.”
I sighed. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I meant mentally. Liz, you went through torture and came out of the hospital barely twenty-four hours later, ready to go back after her.”
Liz paused for a moment. She wouldn’t meet my gaze. Finally, she sighed. “No, Abby. This woman has haunted my dreams. She’s the reason I’m a PIB agent. She’s the one thing I haven’t manage to take down in my career. When I found out she was back in town, I had to go after her. I had to take my chances with her.”
“I understand. I wish you would have let me know.”
“So you could talk me out of it?”
I snorted. “No, so I could have gone with you. I know what it’s like to want that revenge.”
“Your parents,” she stated.
I nodded. “Exactly, and I’ll get it when the time is right. Your time is now. She’s in town. We’ll get her.”
“Or die trying.”
I
