Chapter 4

"File the case, Silas."

Silas flips open the black leather codex. The tip of his pen scratches roughly across the parchment.

"No... please don't..." Lime collapses to the ground. Her fingers dig desperately into Carly's pant leg. "Carly, help me. I can't let them seal my soul... I'm so scared."

"Make him stop!" Carly roars at me. "You crazy bitch! If you have a problem with me, come at me, but leave her alone!"

I stare at his hand gripping mine.

This is the man I have loved for five years. To protect this lying woman, he is doing everything he can to hurt me. Fury burns through my reason. It scorches away my last drop of sympathy.

I twist my hand, lock my fingers around his wrist, and snap it hard.

A sharp crack of bone echoes in the air. Carly screams and is forced to let go.

I shove him away.

Carly stumbles back two steps and clutches his wrist. He glares at me, gritting his teeth. "You think this little threat scares me?" He points a finger right in my face. "I'll drain every cent of my family's fortune! I'll go to the capital and hire the best human psychic lawyers out there! I won't let you touch a single hair on her head. Never!"

"Drain your fortune?" I laugh.

I burst into full laughter. The sound vibrates in my chest, carrying a tearing pain and utter absurdity. He actually thinks he has a fortune to waste.

I don't give him another look. I just pull out the highest-grade vampire communication crystal. Pure, dark red magic floods into it, and the crystal erupts with a blinding pillar of light that shoots straight into the sky.

Massive holograms of three vampire elders quickly materialize in midair. An overwhelming pressure instantly blankets the entire town square. The surrounding crowd erupts in terrified screams. They scramble and crawl backward to get away.

"Lord Eve." The elder in the middle bows his head. His voice rolls across the square like thunder.

Carly freezes. He looks at the three high elders, figures only seen in history books, and then looks back at me. His brain clearly hasn't processed what is happening right in front of him.

I look straight at the elders' illusions. I raise my voice, making sure every single word hammers into Carly's ears. "Two orders. Execute them immediately."

"First." I raise my hand and point at the shivering Lime on the ground. "Charge the mortal human, Lime, with the highest degree of defamation and forbidden magic theft. Seek the maximum penalty. No settlements of any kind."

Lime lets out a distorted shriek. Her eyes roll back, and she passes out completely in the mud.

"Second." I turn my head and lock eyes with Carly's bloodshot stare.

"Permanently revoke the Carly family's exclusive magic protection barrier. Terminate all vampire trade partnerships involving their spiritual materials. Cut off all supply routes. Effective immediately."

Carly's expression completely freezes.

It is like a sledgehammer just smashed into the back of his head. His body sways violently.

"What... what are you talking about?" he finally chokes out. His voice shakes uncontrollably.

"Are you deaf?" I take a step closer. "How do you think your rundown family shop managed to monopolize the trade in the entire West District? How do you think the defense barrier in your backyard stops monster attacks from the Dark Forest? Do you really think the high-grade potions that got you into the trial just fell from the sky?"

All the color drains from Carly's face.

"It was me." I point to my own chest. Five years of suppressed grievance and rage finally explode. "I drained my own magic every single day to keep your barrier up! I used vampire resources to cover the holes in your family's business! I disguised those priceless materials as regular goods and delivered them right to your doorstep!"

"No... that's impossible..." Carly stumbles backward, shaking his head frantically.

"And now, I am taking it all back."

Up in the air, the council of elders responds through the crystal. "Orders confirmed. The protection barrier is disconnected. Trade routes are fully locked down. The Carly family's credit rating is now zero."

Carly snaps back to reality. He lunges at me like a madman, reaching out to snatch the communication crystal from my hand.

"Stop! Tell them to stop right now!"

"Our business is going to be ruined! The suppliers will tear us apart! My parents are gonna kill me! Take it back!"

I sidestep.

Carly grabs at empty air and slams hard into the mud.

He ignores the pain and scrambles up on his hands and knees. Nothing is left in him but sheer terror. He reaches out to me, looking absolutely pathetic.

"Eve... I was wrong... Please, that's everything my family has..."

"Everything your family has?" I slip the crystal back into my pocket and slowly straighten the collar of my trench coat.

"That was mine to begin with. I am simply taking back my gifts."

I turn around and walk toward the dark silver lord's carriage.

"There is nothing left between us."