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82 - She's Protecting Us
GILDEON
There was no point in denying ownership of the cabin, much less pretending he wasn’t behind the entire spectacle. But the fact that Durante hadn’t mentioned an accomplice yet was a relief. They either hadn’t noticed Roselia, or she was simply good at staying hidden. Still, Gildeon needed to tread carefully. He couldn’t afford to expose her—whether to witches or anyone else.
He began piecing together a believable excuse in his head, but he couldn’t give in just yet.
“What’s the obstruction of justice charge for?” Gildeon asked, knowing it was a stalling tactic, but needing the answer all the same.
He expected pushback, but it didn’t come. Instead, Durante opened the folder again, revealing more photos: Plumber Paul’s body from the coroner’s office, a dead blonde girl lying on the shore, and then solo shots of both of their fading Clover Wish tattoos.
But
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MAD END'S DECEPTION 83 - Gravity of Her Past
ARAHThe growl softened into a deep grunt, and finally, Barky’s posture eased. He sniffed her hand tentatively, his eyes still wary but calmer. She let out a slow breath of relief as his body relaxed. His nose nudged her fingers, and then, in a quick, fluid motion, his tongue lapped at her hand. She smiled, her muscles unclenching as she scratched his head, his ears folding back in that familiar way.She slumped onto the floor and kissed the top of his head, scrunching her nose at the smell of earth and death lingering in his fur. “I thought you didn’t recognize me anymore, Barky. You scared me. Don't do that again, okay?”He huffed softly, almost in agreement, his tail wagging slightly. Her hand moved to scratch behind his ears—rough but gentle, just the way he liked. He leaned into her touch, pushing his head under her hand.“What do you say I clean you up now, huh?”Barky gave a small whine, and she chuckled softly. “Come on now.” She stood up and snapped her fingers, guiding him i
MAD END'S DECEPTION 84 - Truly Cares About You
ARAHA coven war was coming. The thought made her stomach churn. Witches fighting over the chance to steal her alleged power… It sounded so ridiculous. So unreal. But after watching Barky die and come back to life because of her tattooed Clover Wish, she was past rationalizing everything.Roselia then revealed that she had once been part of one of those covens. The confession caught Arah so off guard that she nearly spilled her tea. She wanted to ask more about the hooded witch, but Roselia had emphasized there was some kind of vow at play, one that could cost her life if she broke it. She couldn’t reveal anything about the other witches—not their identities, not their secrets. But they were already on the island, lurking in the shadows, waiting… stalking Arah.The very thought of it sent a shiver down her spine.“Did you leave the coven on your own?” she asked, curiosity mingling with unease. “Or did they force you to?”“You could say both,” Roselia replied with a shadow of anger fli
MAD END'S DECEPTION 85 - I Betrayed Him
ARAHHer throat tightened. “But I betrayed him.” Its weight settled heavily in her chest as the memory surfaced. “I got him arrested.”“Your anger was justified,” Roselia said. “I nearly cursed My Lord when he took Filippo’s head.”Arah leaned forward, about to put her cup down on the table. “Who’s Filippo? Your pet?”“My lover.”Arah nearly dropped the cup, and her gaze narrowed. “He killed your lover?”“Yes,” Roselia said as if it were a matter of fact. “But Filippo wasn’t human to begin with.”Arah stared, her mind scrambling to catch up.“He was a vampire.”Her mouth fell open, her fingers gripping the armrest to keep herself grounded. “V-vampires are real?” she blurted out, blinking rapidly.Roselia stifled a laugh. “I think that’s enough for today. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”Arah’s mind swirled, but the question slipped out anyway. “Why did he kill your lover?” She wondered if Filippo was the one who had hurt Roselia in the past, but somehow, it didn’t feel like it.Roselia
MAD END'S DECEPTION 86 - Slipped From Her Mind
ARAHAgent Durante stood by the entrance of the police station, mid-conversation with a uniformed officer. As soon as he spotted her, he tapped the officer’s arm, excused himself, and walked toward her. He hooked his thumbs into his belt as he met her halfway.“Ah, Mrs. Ayadi,” he drawled, stretching out her name as though savoring it. “Didn’t expect you to show up this soon.”Arah wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries. “I want to see my husband, Agent,” she said, keeping her voice polite but firm.He pressed his lips together, hesitation flashing across his face as he glanced toward the front desk. “I’m afraid I can’t let you in just yet,” he replied, casually brushing a knuckle along his cheekbone. “We’re still holding your husband for questioning. Visitors aren’t allowed to see him at the moment.”“The evidence I sent you is fake,” Arah said with a straight face. “Gildeon and I had a fight. I was angry, and I made a mistake.”Agent Durante smirked, not unkindly, but with a knowing gl
MAD END'S DECEPTION 87 - Won't Leave You Alone
ARAH“Arah?” A frown appeared on Gildeon's brow, his eyes briefly dropping to the space behind her feet before settling back on her. “Why are you here? They let you in?” He glanced quickly at the door as it clicked shut behind her.He started to stand, shuffling his feet toward her, but stopped short. Something seemed to hold him back, though nothing was physically restraining him. On the table beside him, an empty coffee cup lay knocked over.Arah noticed Gildeon looking down, his jaw clenching at something she had no idea about. She moved toward him instead.“Hey, are you okay?” she asked softly, worry lacing her voice as her eyes moved around him. A crazy thought crossed her mind that he might’ve been hurt, but thank goodness—aside from the weariness in his face and the dimness in his gold-and-black eyes, he seemed fine.“You’re not supposed to be here.” Gildeon lifted his hands as if he were about to touch her face, but just like with his feet earlier, his wrists seemed restrained
MAD END'S DECEPTION 88 - Fair and Square
GILDEONDeep down, he was glad. Glad that he’d seen Arah’s face, heard her voice, and kissed her lips—even though it pissed him off that he couldn’t even touch her. The invisible restraints around his wrists and ankles confined his movements to a small radius. They also stopped him from initiating any physical contact with another person.‘Durante, you cunning asshole,’ he cursed inwardly.“Is Master okay?” Ghulik crawled on all fours across the table. His tiny hands gripped the edge as he peered down at Gildeon’s bound hands and feet. “Does Master want Ghulik to take them apart?”‘Don’t bother,’ Gildeon replied mentally. ‘This is a powerful enchantment. You’ll only hurt yourself.’He glanced at the coffee cup on the table, anger rising as he replayed the events from earlier. He had underestimated the magic it held. When he’d shifted his hand into its dragon form, the black coffee had suddenly snaked into the air before he could strike at Durante. It had formed a silent, dark chain th
MAD END'S DECEPTION 89 - I Trust Gildeon
ARAHShe relayed to Roselia what needed to happen tonight. The witch sank heavily onto the couch.Roselia’s hands came up, fingers pressing together as she dragged them across her nose and mouth. “Did My Lord say anything more?” she asked. “What will you do if you find the other coven’s already here? Do I need to come with you?”“You don’t need to. Gildeon said...” Arah lowered her gaze, hesitating to continue. “He said he made a deal with your old coven.”Roselia went stiff, her hands freezing midair near her chin.Arah explained how they’d have to work with the old coven, at least for now, to eliminate the greater threat posed by the other one. Roselia didn’t speak, her face tight with deep, quiet anger. It was understandable.She sat beside Roselia. “I don’t have all the details, and honestly, I’m not completely on board with it either,” she said softly.Roselia stayed quiet, her gaze fixed on the white box still sitting on the coffee table.“They’ve killed innocent people,” Arah a
MAD END'S DECEPTION 90 - I'm Your Fan
ARAHThe place was packed, far more crowded than Arah had anticipated, though she shouldn’t have been surprised. Mabel was the kind of person who could fill a room without even trying. She’d probably invited half the island.Above the bar, a large banner proudly hung with bold letters that read, ‘CONGRATULATIONS, NICK AND MABEL.’Arah took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves creeping up her spine. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that someone was watching her. How would she know if it was an ally or an enemy? Gildeon and Roselia hadn’t exactly given her instructions on how to spot a witch.Her eyes swept the room, searching for... anyone suspicious.“Arah!” She heard her name and spotted Cora waving her over from a table in the corner, where a three-tiered cake sat with the words ‘Just Got Engaged’ piped across it.Cora raised an eyebrow as they met halfway through the crowd. “Husband bailed again, huh?”Arah’s stomach churned, remembering how Gildeon was still locked up with
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