The Beast And The Blessed

Chapter 163

Fifty-Six: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

My tower was my safe place, my comfort zone when I wasn't with Tobias. Yet right now, I stood in the middle of it, feeling like there were bugs crawling on my skin.

The ward surrounding it hadn’t just been broken.

It had been shattered. I had seen the damage to it before entering. The shimmering surface looked like it had been attacked violently, like a glass window that had taken hail damage. Craters and spider webbing from the cracks covered the surface.

No one would have seen it if they didn't have magic in their blood, but they should have at least heard her attack. Based on the damage I could see, she had been wailing on my shield for a while. There was even a charred spot on the floor where she appeared to have resorted to throwing fireballs.

How had we been oblivious to this, and when did she do it?

She hadn't been here during the attack on Cyrus, so it must have been before dinner. That would have left her time to get to Rona's, attack her, and perform the ritual while we ate.

Meanwhile, I had been sitting at the hot springs with Natalie, distracted by the idea that I might be...

No. Don't think about that. There are more important matters to deal with, and knowing won't do anything other than distract me.

Still, the guards and servants, even Killian, should have heard it. Aisha and Margot, at the very least, should have recognized the sound of the magic slamming into my ward.

My skin prickled when I walked through it and opened the door to my tower. It felt like I was walking through a low-level electric fence. It was angry, yet so weak. I was almost expecting to find a trap in my tower, something to off me so Cora could be free of me and escape.

But my study was clear. There were no tricks or traps, just a safe door that, by the way the metal was bent, had been forced open, exposing that there were many missing valuables. The only thing that remained was the small vial of Rona's blood. It was crusted to the glass, having dried up when she died.

Cora clearly had no use for it. Either that or she left it as a clue, wanting to lure me to Rona's cottage so she could kill me too.

If the bears hadn't attacked her, I had to imagine she had plans to deal with me. The real question was whether they got to her in time to prevent her from absorbing Rona's powers. I could assume so since she hadn't completed enough of the ritual to take Cyrus's magic and seemed to be using Rona's magic as a conduit to get to Cyrus.

But I had already made too many mistakes. I wouldn’t underestimate Cora, not after everything she had done and planned.

the vial over, picturing the smug look she

body stiffen, and my hands curled into fists. She would have gotten his blood one way or another; I just made it easy

the room, feeding off my anger as I tried to push back the blame that rested squarely on my

the tower, checking every corner, closet, and shadow. He would have smelt or felt it if someone was still in there, but I knew

cut out the bottom chunk of

didn't want everyone in

all of

said as he

her most recent attack because of the blood I had been hiding. "We need to get the world map from Killian's office to search for Cora. She could be

minutes. I held his stare, determined not to let him see how affected I was by my indirect involvement in

forward, placed his hand on the back of my head, and kissed my forehead, I felt myself start to

touch me, the harder this will be. I can't let

grateful because I knew I would fall if he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me. "We have a world map in the command center. I'm having a few warriors bring it into the main conference room. We can use

hated when people went into his office when he wasn't there. A glance to my left and out my tower window showed a group

I knew it was even wider. I nodded with determination. This could

cleared. I want the tables and chairs out." I gripped his hand, squeezing it appreciatively

she couldn't hide.

up, grabbing a few candles from my shelves. I sucked in a gasp of air, and it faded away, leaving me shocked

it, Joselin. Do your job. Now

Tobias asked, moving to take the candles

how much I need to carry." I moved past him, dropping my supplies onto my bed before grabbing my favorite dagger and adding it to the pile. It had drawn a lot

Tobias gathered the corners of the blanket and lifted it as if it were as

against my lips. My lips curled up as I admired the

is a damn good

wall. It seemed

done what I needed and did it so quickly. Perhaps the pack did

with Cora and risk my life

that thought from

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