Fury Read online

  “How dare you!” She snarled, surging towards me.

  Salem grabbed Briella’s arm as she passed him and pulled her to him. I noticed his eyes scrunch up with pain as he said, “Nothing happened.”

  “Oh, please.” She scoffed, “It’s obvious where she spent the night.”

  “Yes. On the couch.”

  “Was there something wrong with her room?”

  “She was attacked. Nobody else was home. She helped me and then we fell asleep.”

  Briella didn’t take her eyes off me. “Oh, I just bet she was helping. How dare you!”

  “Briella.” Salem warned softly, his tone flat.

  His temper was brewing but she didn’t seem to notice. Just like she hadn’t noticed the gashes across his back and side either. That or she had noticed and didn’t care. I wasn’t sure what was worse.

  I stood, trying to diffuse the situation. “I’m fully clothed.” I pointed out, “Nothing happened.”

  “Liar. It’s not like you can stay here indefinitely. You don’t want the Underworld, you want him! You are trying to take it from me!”

  Did she hear herself? She didn’t say taking him, she said it. He was correct in saying she wanted the power and Salem didn’t look surprised, but that rankled.

  “Are you serious?” I hissed, shaking my head as I picked up the blanket for something to do with my hands so I didn’t cross the space and punch her. I started folding as I said, “If you’d cared to notice, you would have seen that Salem has cuts all over his back bad enough they required stitches. If you’d been more worried about him rather than what you thought I was trying to take you would have asked if he was okay.” I flopped the blanket down onto the couch and put my hands on my hips, meeting her eyes as I added, “And if you weren’t so self-absorbed you’d also know trying to hold onto you is hurting him and it has been since you started this tantrum.”

  I expected a look of shame. I expected her to at least glance at his injuries. I expected her to do anything but what she did next. She lunged at me, causing him to wince at the pull. The pain must have been bad enough because she broke free of his grip. That pushed me over the edge and I was now happy to go toe to toe with her.

  “When I am Queen I swear I’ll have you hunted down like the animal you are and have them bring me your head.”

  I was already around the couch and met her.

  She raised her hand to slap me and I grabbed her arm and spun her so I could pin it behind her back. My other hand went to her hair and I took hold at the nape of her neck.

  “Reality check time. If you think for a second, I’m easy to take down you are wrong. I take souls for a living. I might be mortal, but I am not an easy target.”

  “You’re hurting me!”

  “I’ve been in this hold, I know it doesn’t hurt and I need you in a position where you listen.” I said, but I loosened my grip enough I was sure I wasn’t causing harm before I continued. “Now, I understand finding me in Salem’s room is not ideal but we both told you nothing happened. You don’t trust me, but I doubt he’s ever given you a reason not to trust him. You can hate me, but where I come from you stick up for your friends and since everyone in this house falls into that category, I am letting you know that until I leave, you will be showing everyone a modicum of respect. I’m small but I can throw a heck of a punch.”

  I released her, sending her forward and to her credit she didn’t topple over in her heals.

  She spun around and shot me a glare before turning to Salem.

  “I want her out. Now, Salem!” Briella demanded, stalking back to him and jamming a finger in his chest. “I refuse to be threatened by this…nobody!”

  She seemed to realize her mistake at the same time Salem lost his temper. He looked at the finger planted in his chest and I watched his eyes ice over as he slowly raised them back to her face.

  “You seem to have forgotten who I am. I do not answer to you, Briella. I am not a pet. I am not a conquest. I am the King of the Underworld and you have overstepped your role. You are not the Lady of this house.”

  “Salem,” she said, his name coming out as a whine. Her lips pouted as she mustered up tears I knew weren’t for him but for the battle she was losing. “I love you.”

  Even I could hear the lie in those words and Salem flinched as if she’d hit him.

  His retort was so low I barely heard it, “No, Briella. You love what I offer.”

  “Salem—”

  “Don’t. Just get out.”

  “But—”

  “Get. Out.”

  I thought she’d cry, maybe beg or cling to him, but she did not of that. She realized she’d lost and her expression hardened. She curled her lip in disgust as her eyes landed on me once more.

  “Fine. Have fun with your whore, Salem. She’ll never choose to stay. She’ll go home and you will be all alone again. She’ll—”

  “Enough!” Salem snapped, “Briella you will be out of this house in the next two minutes or I swear I will send you packing through the Forest.”

  The threat got a spark of fear in her otherwise chilly gaze and without a word she turned and stomped out.

  He slammed the door behind her and I wondered if in anger he’d forgotten I was in here. I watched as his forehead dropped to the wood and after a few seconds his body relaxed.

  “I’m sorry.” I said, feeling more than a little uncomfortable with yet another situation I felt like I caused. “I should have tried to control my temper. I just…she accused you of cheating in the same breath she dismissed you. I didn’t mean to make it worse. You’re hurting and this is the last thing you should have to be dealing with right now.”

  Salem straightened and his shoulders began to shake. “Nyx.”

  My name didn’t give the slightest clue to how he was feeling. Was I in trouble? Was I being dismissed? When he turned around I got my answer and it was neither.

  Salem was smiling at me. A full smile, with teeth. It was silly his smile could change his features so drastically, but the difference was striking.

  “You aren’t the one who should be apologizing.”

  More than a little confused by his tone that I couldn’t place, I stumbled over my next words, but the words were true none the less. “You deserved an apology, Salem. I’m sure it doesn’t mean as much coming from me as it would her, but you should still have one.”

  “Always the truth with you.” He muttered, his smile faded as he looked at me like he could see into me.

  A knock sounded on the door and my eyes moved to the door for a split second, but when I looked back Salem had composed himself. He opened the door and I saw Joshua standing in the hall.

  “Salem, we need to talk about yesterday.”

  “I’ll meet you in my study.”

  Joshua did a double take when he saw me but he didn’t scowl so I took that as a good sign.

  “I’m going to go change out of these clothes.” I said, this time not giving Salem an option as I moved towards the door. “I’ll see you two at breakfast.”

  I had just scooted past Joshua when Salem called my name.

  I turned back to see him standing in the doorway, his arms holding onto the frame, “Yeah, Salem?”

  “It means more coming from you than it would have her.”

  ✽✽✽

  Tasha and I were sitting in the library in front of the fire that night. Fitz was napping on my forgotten book after Tasha had asked me what had happened with Briella. This was the first time we’d been alone all day and she’d been ready to burst by the time she got me to herself. I’d asked what she thought about Salem’s behavior the rest of the day which was, to me, odd.

  “I know Salem,” she whispered, “At least, I thought I did. But I do not know what today has been all about. First, you sleep in his room, then he kicks Briella out because she threatened you—”

  “He kicked her out when she started ordering him around.” I corrected.

  “Sure. That’s the r
eason.” Tasha muttered, shaking her head as if to clear it before continuing on, “And then you get him to laugh and smile and not just in his room but over breakfast too. What did you do to him?”

  “I just told him the truth and told Briella she was acting like a cow. I didn’t make a grand gesture or anything. He’s been happy all day. It’s weird.”

  “Tell me about it. If I didn’t know better I’d say that Salem made a deal with a demon and let it take over his body.”

  “Or maybe he finally saw what the rest of us did in Briella.”

  Tasha gasped and I turned to see Joshua leaning against one of the bookshelves.

  “How much did you hear?” I asked, and Joshua grinned.

  “Enough to know you two gossip worse than my grandma’s bible study group.”

  “Joshua!” Tasha said, narrowing her eyes. “It’s not polite to eavesdrop.”

  “Is it considered eavesdropping if we had plans?”

  “It’s eavesdropping when you walk into a conversation and don’t announce your presence.”

  “Good to know. I’ll announce myself next time unless you’re talking about something that will make you blush, Tosh. You’re cute when you blush.”

  This resulted in Tasha blushing and Joshua winked at her before adding, “Are you still up for a game of chess?”

  Tasha looked at me and I smiled, “I’ve got to get up there to read to Jane. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Let me just get these books put back.” She said, turning back to Joshua but avoiding his gaze. She looked like she was fighting a smile.

  I picked Fitz up and he curled around my wrist as Tasha held out her hand for my book.

  “Thank you.”

  I stood up and was going to head up to Jane’s room before I realized now was as good a time as any.

  “Joshua?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You left the day after I got here and I didn’t get a chance to apologize to you for how I acted towards you. I was angry and scared after the Land of Mists and I shouldn’t have taken that out on you. It was rude.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Nyx.”

  “I have been worrying about it. You were doing your job and after yesterday I can understand why you guys were in a hurry to get this done.”

  Joshua looked up at me, his face losing the easy-going expression he’d been sporting earlier. “Salem said Abaddon locked you out of the castle.”

  I nodded, “Super fun times with those fae.”

  “I’ll bet.” He said, tucking his hands into his pockets, his gaze moving to his feet.

  I pressed on. “I understand if you don’t accept my apology, but I’m giving it anyway because you didn’t deserve what I said.”

  He let out a breath and then looked back up at me. “It wasn’t like I didn’t bite your head off first. Besides, you had every right to be pissed. I was in a hurry to take you because I didn’t want to be anywhere without Salem in case Abaddon did show up. Tasha said you know what happened to me.”

  “I do.”

  “Yeah, well then you get why I didn’t want to take chances. I thought I was going to lose my mind while I was trapped in my room. I tried to sleep as much as I could, but you start to go a little crazy when you are locked up with nowhere to go. I couldn’t talk to anyone or see anyone and was ready to start chewing the bars off the window when Salem showed up.”

  “You guys put a lot of work into finding his weakness, Joshua. If this doesn’t work, I swear I’ll do whatever I can to help find another way.”

  “Even if it means staying another month?”

  “Even then.”

  Tension I hadn’t noticed seemed to seep from him and he gave me a small smile that let me know my apology was accepted. “Thanks, Nyx.”

  “Night.”

  I had made it just past the table when he called my name. I stopped and looked over my shoulder. Joshua was sporting a grin that shaved years off his appearance in a way I’d never seen.

  “Just so you know, the staff and Charon have been gossiping way worse than you and Tasha. They’re all secretly celebrating that Salem told Briella off.”

  “Did nobody like her?”

  Joshua’s grin widened and he shook his head.

  “She was so nice. I can’t imagine why.” I said, attempting to nail her high pitch that dripped with saccharine malice.

  “Liar.” Joshua called and I smiled and shrugged before heading up to Jane’s room.

  Jane and I made it through thirteen more pages before she fell asleep. I bookmarked our spot and slipped out as quietly as I could.

  “Those voices you do are impressive.” Salem said, and I jumped and spun to see him sitting on the floor against the wall, half covered in shadows. One of his legs straightened in front of him, the other was bent and he was using his knee as an arm rest. His head was tipped back against the wall and he looked…relaxed. “I can see why she wants you to read to her.”

  “You were listening?”

  “I was on my way to find Joshua when I heard you.”

  “Ah, the King of the Underworld wanted a bedtime story.”

  Even with his face masked in shadows, I saw the smile. He dipped his head to the side like he was trying to hide it but I didn’t miss it. I didn’t miss the exhaustion that settled into his features when the smile gave way either.

  “You look tired, Salem.” I said, taking in Salem without his professional mask in place. I can’t remember him ever looking anything but put together, but right now I could see just how much this problem had taken from him. His hair was disheveled, his suit pants and shirt were rumpled and the top button on his shirt was undone.

  He chuckled, “It does happen. I haven’t been sleeping much.”

  “Nightmares?”

  He pushed to his feet in one fluid motion and shook his head, “Not exactly.”

  “Well, one more day and hopefully this will all be over and you all can go back to your normal lives.”

  “Normal life without you is going to be hard for everyone to go back to. You’ve brought something to the manor I haven’t been able to get back since all of this started.”

  “I didn’t bring anything besides Fitz.” I pointed out, smiling as I held up my wrist. Fitz’s head popped up at the sound of his name and Salem smiled as he looked at Fitz.

  Fitz yawned and then surprised us both when he pushed his body off my wrist, reaching out to Salem with half his body. Salem held his hand up and Fitz wasted no time curling himself around Salem’s arm.

  “I guess I’m not the only one to change my opinion of you, Salem.”

  I watched as Fitz settled his head onto Salem’s hand and fell back to sleep. Salem stayed quiet for a beat, looking at Fitz in a way that tugged at my heartstrings. A few days ago, I never would have thought I’d trust Salem or that I’d like being in his company. He brought a sense of calm with him. He put me at ease in a way that not even Iris and Callie had ever managed to achieve.

  “Were you headed to bed?”

  “I was going to read until I got tired. I’ve done my exploring and Joshua and Tasha are playing chess in the library so I feel a little out of place wandering around when I’m not needed anywhere.”

  “Would you like to keep me company?” The offer surprised me and he took my shock as hesitation and added, “I’m getting everything ready for tomorrow. I was going to get Joshua for help, but he deserves some time for himself.”

  “You aren’t sick of me after spending so much time with me as your only companion last night?”

  The corners of his mouth lifted and he shook his head, the action making him look boyish.

  “Well then I accept your offer.”

  As soon as Salem and I walked into his study, the door disappeared and the same crackle as yesterday in his room filled the air.

  “Safety precaution.” He explained.

  “So, what are we doing?”

  “We need to spell the box that we’ll use to transport the s
oul. It won’t be a normal soul anymore. The demon will have warped it so I can’t send it to the River without that taint spreading. The box will keep it contained.”

  “Will it hurt Fitz?”

  “No. To him it will be like any other soul. We checked and rechecked. I know how we started things off, but I won’t put him in danger.”

  “Thank you.”

  He unlocked a drawer on his desk and pulled out a small white cube.

  “It looks like a giant sugar cube.” I pointed out, sitting down in the chair across from his desk.

  “Close, it’s salt.” He held it up and showed me the center had been dug out. “I had this made to fit around it.” He added, and pulled out a white box a little bigger than the salt cube. “It’ll allow me to trap the soul.”

  The box looked to be made out of silver and black leather. The front sported a small key which was pushed into the keyhole on the top of the lid. The inside was coated in a black satin and it was well made. You couldn’t see a single seam on the inside.

  “So, we slide the salt cube in and that’s it? Instant soul prison?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Sounds simple.”

  Half of Salem’s mouth ticked up into a crooked smile, “Not all things in life are hard. You want to do the honors? I need someone to hold it in place while I recite the spell. Salt is pure and it takes some force to get it to bend to the spell.”

  “Sure.”

  He slid the box and the salt towards me and I pushed it into the box.

  “The salt will warm under your touch but it won’t burn.” Salem warned as he pulled out a small book from the same drawer the rest had been pulled from. “Ready?”

  “Yep.”

  He spoke the words so low I couldn’t make any of them out, but they didn’t sound like they were in English anyway. Like he’d warned, the salt did warm under me and I felt the pressure as it tried to push away from the box. I pressed down firmly, and before I knew it, it was done.