GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
I dug my nails into Barrons‘ arm and cried out.
He was fighting me. Resisting. He‘d shoved me out of the princess‘s body, sent me tumbling, end over end, from his memory at the Fae court.
I was on the fringes of his mind, reeling from the unexpected ejection. I gathered myself, forged myself into a missile of sheer will, and fired back at the blockade he‘d erected. I‘M NOT DONE YET!
I ricocheted off a smooth black wall and knew instantly it was impenetrable. He was stronger than me. I couldn‘t get through it. I would end up ramming myself to death on it if I tried. But I wasn‘t about to admit defeat. I harnessed the velocity of that ricochet like a boomerang, made a last-minute course adjustment, and veered sideways.
Whatever was behind that wall would remain concealed, but I could get something else. I knew I could.
And suddenly there I was again, standing—
At Fae court, looking down at the princess—
Barrons slammed a wall up in front of me. But not fast enough.
I blasted through it.
I was Barrons and she was on the ground and I was laughing—
He slammed up another wall but didn‘t get it reinforced fast enough.
I toppled it.
The bitch was dead.
He slammed one more wall up. Too little, too late.
I shattered it right out of existence.
Every Fae in the queen’s court was screaming, fleeing for their lives, because the unthinkable had happened.
One of their own had ceased to exist.
One of their own had been killed.
By me/Barrons/us.
I was choking, sputtering, trying desperately to breathe, and I realized with horror that it wasn‘t the Barrons/Mac persona that was choking. It was my body.
I pulled back, yanked back, stumbled back, ripped myself from Barron‘s mind. It wasn‘t easy to untangle us.
His hand was on my throat.
Mine was on his.
―What the fuck?” V‘lane exploded. It was the most human sentence I‘d ever heard him utter. He‘d been watching us but had no idea what had happened.
Our battle had been a private one.
Barrons and I stared at each other.
We released each other‘s throats at the same moment.
I backed up a step.
He didn‘t. But then, I hadn‘t expected him to.
―You really can kill V‘lane!‖ I exclaimed. ―That‘s why he won‘t let you near him. You can kill him. How?‖
Barrons said nothing. I‘d never seen him so still, so silent.
I whirled on V‘lane. ―How?‖ I demanded. I was shaking. Barrons could kill Fae. It was no wonder the Shades left him alone. ―Did he have the spear or the sword?‖ But I knew in my bones that it had been neither of those weapons. The wall he‘d thrown up had shielded the answer. Whatever weapon he‘d used, it was not one I knew.
V‘lane said nothing.
―What does he have on you?‖ I cried, exasperated.
―Decide, Ms. Lane,‖ Barrons said, behind me.
―Choose,‖ V‘lane agreed.
―Go to hell, both of you! New world. New rules. New me. Don‘t call me. I‘ll call you.‖
―To call me, you will require my name back,‖ V‘lane said.
―So it can fail me again when I need it?‖
―It failed only during that brief time when all magic was down. Such a moment is impossible to sustain. Darroc will not attempt it again. He does not need to. He achieved his end.‖
―I‘ll think about it,‖ I said. And I would. All weapons. Good.
Something clattered to the floor at my feet. It was a cell phone.
I didn‘t turn. ―What‘s that for? Duh, no towers, remember?‖ I mocked.
―It works,‖ said Barrons. He paused heavily, the better to emphasize his coup de grace. ―It always did.‖
My breathing stopped. What he was saying was not possible. I spun, searched his eyes. ―The power was down! My call to Dani was disconnected. I never got service back!‖ I knew. I‘d kept checking all night.
He moved toward me so quickly, I didn‘t see him coming and had no chance to react. His body was pressed to mine, his lips were against my ear.
I leaned into him and inhaled. I couldn‘t help myself.
He whispered, ―O ye of little faith. Not for IYD.”
It was the number he‘d programmed into my cell, which stood for If You’re Dying.
―But you didn‘t even try.”
His tongue touched my ear. Then he was gone.