Allegiance (Causal Enchantment #3)(82)

“I never lied! I mean, I did lie, but …” I sighed, my hands flying to cover my face. “I did lie. Totally. Completely. I lied about anything happening with Julian. But I swear to you, nothing happened!” I was talking to myself, though, as her emerald eyes drew along my frame, as if deciding how best to quarter me.

I wanted to explain, I did, but fear choked the words. I had never seen Amelie—sweet, bubbly Amelie—like this before. Even with Rachel, even with Jethro, there had been a small semblance of the Amelie I knew. Now, though, it was as if someone reached in and switched around her spark plugs, making her go haywire. Unpredictable. Dangerous.

In my peripheral stood a pale Julian, in only a towel, and Wraith behind him. I hadn’t noticed them there before. I could use Wraith right now, as a barrier.

“Evangeline, is this person a threat to you?” Wraith’s even tone was a welcome change to Amelie’s trills and ice.

“No.” My hand shot out to stay him. He was too close to her. He wouldn’t form a barrier for me. He’d simply kill her.

Julian spoke then. “Amelie … I wanted to tell you, I did. Eve thought it best …”

Great, Julian … throw gas onto an open flame in a parched forest. Another flash of anger, searing hot, shot through Amelie’s eyes as they bored deeper into me.

“Oh, did she now …”

I almost missed her next movement. With the slightest flick of her hand, the solid wood dresser beside her soared in my direction. I don’t know if she was intending to hit me or just scare me with it. Either way, I managed to dive out of the way. It crashed into the wall behind me, taking chunks of plaster and molding with it.

I struggled back to my feet to face her again. She took a step forward. “Were you looking for a way to win him back after your little thing in the mountains?”

I felt my eyes widen. What?

Accusations spewed hastily from her as she edged forward, as if cornering prey. “You had to have them all, didn’t you … you weren’t satisfied with Caden. You had to have all of them. First my brother, then Julian … and now Bishop.” Her voice trailed off as a distant look glazed over her face—a far-off, wild stare. I recognized it immediately. I’d seen it reflected in mirrors countless times. The dark chasm of loss, of losing everything that mattered. There was no logical thought in this gloomy place.

“Is this friend a threat now, Evangeline?” Wraith asked calmly for a second time.

She just threw a dresser at me! What do you think? I wanted to scream. My eyes flickered to Julian and I saw the pleading in them. It was a death sentence if I said yes. It could be my death sentence if I said no. Soon enough, Wraith wouldn’t ask me. He would just kill.

Amelie didn’t even acknowledge Wraith, didn’t care that she had an unstoppable grim reaper ten feet away from her. “Were you laughing at me? Stupid, silly Amelie who had no clue?” Another step closer.

I sucked in a breath of air. “Amelie! It’s me. Evie! The one who pulled you out of the river! The silly, naïve human!”

Another step. Her eyebrow arched. “Oh, but you’re not so naïve, are you, Evangeline …”

And then she pounced.

She threw me back against the wall, her hands landing on either side of my shoulders, her fingers digging painfully into my joints, her teeth bared and glistening. I heard Julian’s shouts in the background but I couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. I shrunk back, trying to gain some distance.

I can’t die yet. I’m not ready to die yet.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wraith closing in quickly. He wouldn’t simply stall her this time. He would kill her … I needed to make her understand! “Amelie, don’t do this. Please, listen to me.”

Her fingers dug in further and I cried out in pain. Crazy Amelie wouldn’t listen. She was too far gone. I needed normal Amelie back for five minutes so we could explain everything. I just …

Suddenly, Amelie’s face froze in horror. Her skin began withering, the veins along her cheeks and forehead protruding. Much worse than what Wraith had done to Sofie.

“No!” I screamed, my hands rushing to her wrists to hold her up. “Stop!”

Wraith was killing her.

She crumbled to the ground, her towel puddled around her decrepit body. My hands flew to my mouth in horror. “How could you … You …” Rage burned inside me as I lifted my gaze, about to scream obscenities at my guardian. I faltered. Wraith was six feet away from us.

He hadn’t reached us yet.

Wraith didn’t cause that. There was only one person who could have. Me.

Julian’s screams snapped me out of my trance. He was already on his knees beside her, collecting her withered head in his lap, pulling her towel over her body to cover its frail nakedness, tears streaming down his cheeks. In shock, I started down at my hands. What just happened?

“But, I touched Caden just minutes ago …” I mumbled, stunned.

I had killed Amelie.

I dropped to my knees beside Julian, sitting on my hands to avoid touching anyone. “I’m so sorry, Julian. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t …” My voice cracked. I expected violent sobs to follow, but they didn’t. I was hollow. He didn’t acknowledge my apology, hunched over and cradling Amelie’s head.