Her magic slid out of her and wrapped over her arms, curving around her body in rivulets of black backlit with deep, intense red. She had never seen it red before. The pale gold of healing, yes, hundreds of times. But this dark, furious black and red? No. So this is what the magic of an abomination looks like.
“I can blight your entire family, you moron. I am the Healer. Pick a plague, and your sixteen generations wil end right now.” Elvei’s mouth gaped. “You wouldn’t.”
The magic lashed out from her like a striking serpent and bit him. Elvei jerked, his face puzzled. She felt her magic sting him, cutting at the lining of his throat, and a rush of unexpected pleasure flooded her.
Oh gods. Fear shot through Charlotte. She jerked the dark current back, pul ing her power into herself. She’d let it have just a merest taste, a tiny bite, but it wanted more, and she had to strain to keep it contained.
Elvei coughed, harder and harder, clamping his hand over his mouth. Blood dripped from between his fingers, staining his skin with bright, hot scarlet.
He started to rise but froze halfway.
She realized she hated him, and hurting him made her happy. Power coursed through her, grim but exhilarating.
Her magic begged for more.
No. She couldn’t let it.
“Sit.”
He dropped into the chair.
“You’l have your annulment,” she said. “However, you have lived here al this time, and since you don’t wish to be treated as my husband, I wil treat you as my boarder. You’l reimburse me for rent, food, clothing, gifts, and the services of my staff. You came into this sham marriage with nothing, and you wil leave with nothing.”
It was a smal price to pay, but she couldn’t just let him walk away free and clear. Her anger wouldn’t let her. She had to have a nominal compensation. If she didn’t, her magic would exact its own price.
“I don’t have that kind of money,” he said.
“I’m not interested in your financial troubles,” she said. “I financial y supported you al these years, and you don’t get to take advantage of me. I’l have my lawyer draft an invoice, and you wil pay it in ful , or I wil force you to make a much more public apology.” Al blood left his face. “You’l have your money.”
“Send it to the Dawn Mother charity.”
The money would go to heal children.
Some good would come from this
nightmare.
Her magic begged to have another tiny nip of him. Charlotte clenched her power in her fist and kept it contained.
“Apologize to me for being a heartless bastard.”
“I apologize,” he said, his voice wooden.
Charlotte concentrated. Magic coated her arm, the radiant golden hue of healing.
“Give me your hand.”
He stretched his hand over the table.
His fingers trembled. She locked her fingers on his wrist, fighting revulsion.
They had awakened in the same bed this morning. She’d lain there, thinking that he was handsome and that she would’ve liked to have his children, while he must’ve been going over the conditions of annulment in his head. The document had been drafted by a lawyer, which took time. Elvei must’ve begun the
preparations for this moment days ago.
Her mind struggled to accept that he could be that cold.
She forced the thoughts away and concentrated on repairing the lacerations in the lining of his throat that she’d made.
A moment, and his internal wounds closed. She released him and wiped her hand on the tablecloth.
“You may go. Your things wil be sent to you when the charity informs me that your payment has been received.” He jumped to his feet and ran out. She sat there, alone, on the patio of a house that no longer felt like home and wondered what she would do next.
The dark current of power coiled and twisted around her. She felt its hunger, beckoning her. It wanted to be fed.
Final y, al the endless lessons and instructions made sense. Her teachers had said that using the healing gift to harm was addicting, but they neglected to mention why. Hurting her ex-husband had brought her pleasure. She wanted to do it again.
Do not become an abomination, Charlotte.
There were no exceptions to the rule.
The dark magic would resurface, and the joy it brought would consume her. She’d fol ow its dark lure into the unthinking abyss where only the next moment of pain-induced euphoria would matter. She was a ticking bomb. She had to contain her powers at any cost.
Charlotte slumped against the chair.
She had few options. She could go back to Ganer Col ege and hide away from the world. No, returning to the Col ege where everyone knew her and about her marriage was out of the question. Their pity would drive her over the edge.
She could remain in the manor and live in seclusion and hope that isolation would reduce the temptation to use the dark side of her magic, but she didn’t want to be Charlotte de Ney either. Lady de Ney was a stupid, naive girl who was blinded by a handsome face and the promise of a happy tomorrow. She had thought that after the years of training and service, she deserved to be loved for who she was, as if love was some sort of a right. If she stayed here, she would have to face her neighbors and friends, and explain why her marriage had been annul ed. No, that wouldn’t be a good idea either, especial y since Elvei would be moving in the same circles, hunting for a new wife.