said.
“ I’m afraid Liza is . . . indisposed, at the moment,” drawled the voice.
“ I want proof of life, you son of a bitch, or we have no deal,” she snarled.
Mick’s hand settled on her shoulder and rubbed at the tension there. She found herself leaning into him, lifting her free hand until he covered it with his own, giving her strength.
“ You don’t seem to understand how this works, Sophie. You have no room to negotiate or bargain. I have your sister, and if you want her back in any condition at all, you will bring the Eye to this address.”
As he rattled off the location, she gestured frantically for something to write on. Olaf shoved a pad and pen into her hand, and she scribbled the address. The kidnapper didn’t even wait for her to verify before he hung up.
Sophie screamed in rage, and the phone in her hand began to sizzle and pop as it was engulfed in a ball of lightning. Olaf’s beady black eyes went wide.
“ Settle down, petite, ” said Mick, pulling her into his chest, heedless of the sparks.
Sophie doused them instantly, dropping her head to his chest. He clutched her closer, his hands rubbing her back, stroking her nape in a motion that made her heart thunder for entirely different reasons. Unlike her own, she could hear Mick’s heart beat slow and steady beneath her ear. Steady and sure. How could he be so calm?
“ What if I got the address wrong?”
“ You didn’t. I could hear him too. I know the area. It’s down by the river. We’re gonna take this counterfeit, and we’re gonna go down there and get Liza back.”
A buzzer sounded.
“ On that note,” said Olaf. He pressed the hammer and disappeared back downstairs.
Mick tipped her face up and his eyes glowed gold. “We’re gonna get through this. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you or to Liza. Tomorrow it will all be over.”
He brushed a thumb across her cheek, and she trembled, confused and longing for something that was so ill-timed, so ill-advised she couldn’t even process it. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
The moment stretched between them and his hand slid back into her hair.
Something crashed below. They both jolted, Mick automatically shifting her behind him as they raced down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, Olaf was crouched in a defensive stance, a huge double headed axe clutched in his hands. Across the room, the demon lounged against the work table looking amused.
“ I think he’s compensating for something,” it said.
“ Who are you?” roared Olaf.
Mick laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “He’s with us.”
Olaf didn’t take his eyes off the demon. “You brought a demon into my shop? Into my forge? ”
“ By proxy. He lives in the artifact you just copied.”
“ And you didn’t think this was a relevant factor to mention?”
Determined to be the voice of reason, Sophie stepped between them. “Okay both of you chill.” She turned to Olaf, “Is the counterfeit ready?”
“ See for yourself,” said the demon.
Sophie looked beyond it to the shining black stone sitting beside the mold. Black. Not red. The chill of fear skittered up her spine as she turned to Olaf. “Tell me there are more steps.”
The dwarf rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “I don’t know what happened. I can try again—”
“ There’s no time ,” Sophie snapped. “The kidnapper expects us to be en route with the Eye right now.”
“ It could still work,” said Mick. “If the Eye was lost for as long as you say, maybe the kidnapper doesn’t know what it looks like.”
“ Are you willing to risk Liza’s life on maybe?” Sophie paced a tight circle, shoving both hands through her hair in frustration. “This isn’t happening. I can’t have failed this badly. My mother will never forgive me.” Never mind that Sophie would never forgive herself. In all likelihood, Liza was going to die. What the hell is the point of being the daughter of a god if I can’t
“ I’m afraid Liza is . . . indisposed, at the moment,” drawled the voice.
“ I want proof of life, you son of a bitch, or we have no deal,” she snarled.
Mick’s hand settled on her shoulder and rubbed at the tension there. She found herself leaning into him, lifting her free hand until he covered it with his own, giving her strength.
“ You don’t seem to understand how this works, Sophie. You have no room to negotiate or bargain. I have your sister, and if you want her back in any condition at all, you will bring the Eye to this address.”
As he rattled off the location, she gestured frantically for something to write on. Olaf shoved a pad and pen into her hand, and she scribbled the address. The kidnapper didn’t even wait for her to verify before he hung up.
Sophie screamed in rage, and the phone in her hand began to sizzle and pop as it was engulfed in a ball of lightning. Olaf’s beady black eyes went wide.
“ Settle down, petite, ” said Mick, pulling her into his chest, heedless of the sparks.
Sophie doused them instantly, dropping her head to his chest. He clutched her closer, his hands rubbing her back, stroking her nape in a motion that made her heart thunder for entirely different reasons. Unlike her own, she could hear Mick’s heart beat slow and steady beneath her ear. Steady and sure. How could he be so calm?
“ What if I got the address wrong?”
“ You didn’t. I could hear him too. I know the area. It’s down by the river. We’re gonna take this counterfeit, and we’re gonna go down there and get Liza back.”
A buzzer sounded.
“ On that note,” said Olaf. He pressed the hammer and disappeared back downstairs.
Mick tipped her face up and his eyes glowed gold. “We’re gonna get through this. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you or to Liza. Tomorrow it will all be over.”
He brushed a thumb across her cheek, and she trembled, confused and longing for something that was so ill-timed, so ill-advised she couldn’t even process it. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
The moment stretched between them and his hand slid back into her hair.
Something crashed below. They both jolted, Mick automatically shifting her behind him as they raced down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, Olaf was crouched in a defensive stance, a huge double headed axe clutched in his hands. Across the room, the demon lounged against the work table looking amused.
“ I think he’s compensating for something,” it said.
“ Who are you?” roared Olaf.
Mick laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “He’s with us.”
Olaf didn’t take his eyes off the demon. “You brought a demon into my shop? Into my forge? ”
“ By proxy. He lives in the artifact you just copied.”
“ And you didn’t think this was a relevant factor to mention?”
Determined to be the voice of reason, Sophie stepped between them. “Okay both of you chill.” She turned to Olaf, “Is the counterfeit ready?”
“ See for yourself,” said the demon.
Sophie looked beyond it to the shining black stone sitting beside the mold. Black. Not red. The chill of fear skittered up her spine as she turned to Olaf. “Tell me there are more steps.”
The dwarf rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “I don’t know what happened. I can try again—”
“ There’s no time ,” Sophie snapped. “The kidnapper expects us to be en route with the Eye right now.”
“ It could still work,” said Mick. “If the Eye was lost for as long as you say, maybe the kidnapper doesn’t know what it looks like.”
“ Are you willing to risk Liza’s life on maybe?” Sophie paced a tight circle, shoving both hands through her hair in frustration. “This isn’t happening. I can’t have failed this badly. My mother will never forgive me.” Never mind that Sophie would never forgive herself. In all likelihood, Liza was going to die. What the hell is the point of being the daughter of a god if I can’t
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