Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Jamie was off the bed in a second, snarling and definitely in wolf form. I couldn’t see who he was attacking. I could barely see anything at all. I threw my clothes on as quickly as I Could

I felt around for the kerosene lamp and the pack of matches next to it. With shaking hands, I managed to light it.

The light revealed a great red wolf staring me down. I jumped back. It was almost as though the wolf was grinning at me.

I swung the lamp at the wolf, who easily danced out of range. Then it settled down, ready to pounce.

As I screamed, a flash of black fur passed my face, and Jamie grabbed the red wolf by the throat, shaking it like a ragdoll. He tossed it out of the cabin, leaving it on the ground with great holes torn in its throat.

Jamie leaped off it once it stopped moving and threw himself into a group of three wolves. All of them tried to take him down. All failed miserably.

I heard a cough and turned back to where the red wolf had been, raising the kerose lamp over my head, ready to attack.

A woman lay on the ground. Freya had arrived and was tending her.

I lowered the lamp.

“Could you bring the lamp closer, Isla?” Freya asked in a strained tone. “I’m having trouble seeing what I’m doing.”

I brought the lamp over, cautious of this woman who’d attacked us. But, as I got closer, I saw immediately that it was Hera.

“What?!” I gaped.

– Distantly. I heard whining and the fast thumps of paws hitting the ground as Jamie ran the other wolves off. He shifted into human form and shoved Freya away from Hera. “She attacked us. She doesn’t deserve our help

I wanted to argue with him, but I couldn’t think of a compelling reason to help her. She’d

my life. She’d cursed my child. She’d lied about everything.

stolen my

Hera croaked from the ground, forcing a fresh pool of blood out of her wounds. “Are you not going to help me, sister? Don’t you love me at all?”

“I… don’t,” I said, realizing it was true as the words came out of my mouth. Still, I wasn’t sure how I felt about leaving her there to die. I turned to Jamie and was about to say something, but then Hera spoke again.

“You know we’re going to kill Margot in front of you both, right?” Hera snickered.

Jamie placed his heel on her throat and rocked his weight down onto her n*eck. “Where is our daughter?” he demanded.

When he released the pressure, Hera just laughed more. “You’ll never get to her. She’s

beyond your reach.

Jamie scowled and went to lean on her again, but Freya put a hand on his shoulder.

“Please,” Freya said. “She’s too weak.”

“I care because…?” Jamie growled.

“She’ll die. She’s-she’s dying already.” Freya replied.

“Good. Just enough time to get some information from her and then watch her waste of space ebb from existence,” Jamie said.

Freya held on harder. “Please, don’t.”

Jamie looked to me. “Isla?”

“I want Margot back. I don’t care what it takes, I finally said coldly after a pause.

“That’s all I need to hear.” Jamie pressed his heel into Hera’s throat again while Freya stood to the side with her hands over her mouth.

“I’ll never tell you anything.” Hera rasped. “You can’t hurt me. Not anymore.”

“Trust me, I can.” Jamie’s nails elongated into claws.

Hera snorted. “Yeah, fine, do your worst. I won’t feel a thing. Will I, Freya?”

Jamie and I looked at Freya. “What does she mean?” Jamie demanded.

Freya was silent, trembling, still holding her hands over her mouth.

“Now, now, don’t be shy,” Hera said. “While you were playing with my pack friends, Freyal was casting a little spell. Weren’t you, Freya?”

“I-I just couldn’t bear to see her suffer,” Freya stuttered when we both scowled at her.

“What does this spell do?” Jamie asked between bared teeth.

“It just… like she said. She won’t feel any pain until she passes,” Freya said in a small voice.

“Well, that’s just great, Freya. How are we supposed to question her now?!” Jamie roared. “How are we ever going to find Margot?”

“Did you ever try questioning Freya?” Hera chuckled. “I’ll bet she’d be a wealth of information.”

Freya swallowed, her eyes flicking to Hera. “That’s-that’s not true.”

“Please. You’ve done well with your little ruse. And much as I’ve enjoyed being credited with magical powers, well, credit where credit is due, I say,” Hera said.

Jamie stalked over to Freya, standing toe-to-toe with her. “What is she talking about?”

“Nothing! I have no idea!” Freya wailed.

But not even I believed her.

“Thank you so much, Freya, for your help in preventing the prophecy. You’ve done better than any of us could have ever expected, Hera laughed.

“Heral” Freya gasped.

Hera coughed blood and grinned at Freya. “My good little minion, I have one last assignment for you. Kill Isla. Let’s finally be done with it.”

“What?” I stared at Hera, then raised my eyes to Freya’s.

“You won’t be doing anything of the s-“Jamie snarled but was cut off as Freya jerked her hands up and blasted him away with a burst of white light.

“Go on, Freya. You’re strong enough now. You know the threat she poses. She blew every opportunity we gave her to live a decent life. Now, now you have to end it,” Hera coughed.

Freya turned to me, hands raised.

Jamie rose shakily from the ground. “Don’t you touch her!”

“Go on, Freya. My very last wish as your very best friend is for you to kill Isla and save our pack,” Hera wheezed.

Freya’s hands shook. She began drawing a symbol in the air.

My head hurt suddenly, and I fell to my knees, digging the heels of my hands into my temples. I screamed in pain.

“Yes!” Hera cried. “Yes, Freya! End it! End it now!”

Freya chanted something I could barely hear over the roaring in my head.

Jamie made another run at her but bounced off some sort of magical field. “No!” he shouted. “No! Stop, stop it!”

As my own screams got louder, Freya’s voice faltered. Finally, the pain in my head began to dissipate.

“What are you doing?!” Hera shrieked. “Finish her!”

Freya lowered her hands and bowed her head. I can’t,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Hera. I’m sorry. My magic is strong enough, but I am not.”

Hera gave a loud cry of indignation, making me wonder if the witch was actually dying.

or not.

“It’s

over, Hera, Jamie said, rising to his feet. He kept a wary eye on Freya but did not make the mistake of trying to attack her again. “Your grand scheme is over. And when you’re dead, the curses on my daughter and my mate will be broken.” He shot a look at Freya. “Right?”

Freya swallowed and wrung her hands. “Um…

Hera began cackling again. “You two are such dolts. I’m no witch. The curses. The spells. Getting me into the castle and getting Jamie to f*ck me? That was all, Freya. All of it.”

It was then that the truth finally sunk in.

Freya had betrayed us.