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The next morning, I woke with a firm plan in mind, and after breakfast, I let Lindsay know about my idea. "I don't know if it's going to work," I said, "but I'm going to try and connect with my witch heritage to try and put the fear of God into Cherry. Honey won't say boo without Cherry's say so, so I'm going to go straight to the head bitch in charge."
"It can't hurt," Lindsay agreed. "If Cherry can be made to see some sense, the better chance we'll have of getting our cubs back. Go for it."
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Cherry sneered when I entered the visitor room. "You really are dull as dirt," she said, her discomposure of the day before seemingly vanished. "You're not going to get anywhere, so you might as well give up."
I said nothing, instead fixing her with an unblinking stare as I tapped into my witch powers for the first time. And amazingly, the hole left in my spirit after Gambit's passing felt a little less empty, making the loss a more distant memory. I used my new-found confidence to further bolster my staredown, and Cherry paled. "What are you doing?" she demanded.
I ignored her and continued to give her an unwavering stare. I wasn't sure what I wanted her to see, or what I wanted to accomplish, but whatever Cherry saw in my eyes, it made her go white to the lips. "Stop!" she cried, dropping the reciever and backing away. "STOP! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST STOP! I'LL DO AS YOU SAY! JUST STOP!!"94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jUjEzPtWS
"I think she's got the message," James said, squeezing my shoulder, and I sighed as I slumped in my chair, finally blinking. Cherry was huddled in the corner of her cell, as far away from me as she could get, her eyes wide and horrified. I felt ever so slightly guilty for traumatising her so much, but when I remembered how she and Honey had been Faith's "enforcers" during my time as a teenager, the guilt melted away, and I took a deep breath, reminding myself that I was doing this for my daughter, for Lindsay's son, and for all the other cubs who'd been kidnapped all for a spiteful revenge way past overdue. 94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5fvSoXOrn
It took a bit of convincing to coax Cherry out of her corner, but even when she picked up the receiver again, she wouldn't look me in the eye. I knew she was properly cowed; I could feel it. She wouldn't dare cross me again, not if she wanted to avoid a repeat performance of the scourging I'd just given her. "Faith's got the cubs hidden in Bristol," she said, staring at her lap. "She's planning on adopting them out to friends and allies, but she's keeping Leanna for herself so she can turn her into a weapon to use against you and your pack. Randy's being kept hostage to ensure Leanna's cooperation - Faith picked up on their bond, and she's using it to make sure Leanna does as she wishes. Leanna's scared, as any toddler can be when caught in a situation, but she's doing as Faith wants, at least for now. I think she's inherited your stubborness."
I said nothing, and Cherry rushed on, sounding fearful. "Faith can't have cubs," she said. "That's the main reason she took your daughter. But Leanna's got powerful magic, being both of werewolf and witch stock. You were meant to be the weapon to take down all of your uncle's enemies, but your father chose your mother instead when he found out just what any future cubs would be turned into. Your aunt didn't like that, and when you were born, she had you taken so she could raise you the way she wished. But you were stubborn, and that's why you were mistreated so, because you wouldn't conform to your aunt and uncle's desires. Faith's planning on using Leanna to do the job you 'failed' to do."
"Damn me," I muttered. "Then I need to go to Bristol, and fast."
"Faith's got the place surrounded,": Cherry told me. "She knows you're going to eventually get sick of waiting and go there. She's planned on killing your daughter rather than letting you take her back again. She doesn't want Leanna raised 'wrong'."
James growled low in his throat. "If she hurts Leanna, she's going to wish for the earth to swallow her whole," he snapped. He took the reciever from me. "Cherry, you need to tell us the measures Faith is using to protect the place. Lie at any point, and I'll turn you back over to my mate's care. And this time, I won't stop."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzj8sv66e5
Cherry lifted her eyes long enough to meet mine, and she immediately lowered them again. "It's my life if I tell anyone those secrets," she muttered.
"It's your life anyway," James said sternly. "No force on earth, not even your alpha's, will be able to take you across the Wheek without our say so. I know enough spells that will make sure you stay on this side of eternity until we're ready to let you cross over. That glass box is doing more than keeping you completely isolated."94Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bIkuNahiQ
Cherry went sheet white. "Your 'glass box' is no match for Faith," she said.
"And Faith is no match for me." I stood and snapped my fingers. The glass box turned red, and Cherry gasped, struggling to breathe as oxygen began to be sucked out of the room. I snapped my fingers again, and the red light died, causing Cherry to gasp again as she found herself breathing normally once more. She took a few moments to recover before picking up the receiver again.
"Faith's onto me," she told us. "No matter what you do, she'll..." She froze, her eyes going wide as the box turned red again, and water began rushing in from nowhere. I snapped my fingers, but this time, Faith's powers overrode mine, and I could only watch in horror as the water inexorably rose. Cherry stumbled backwards, knocking over the chair in her haste to try and get out, but the box now glowed a malevolent red, and bit by bit, the water filled the room. James yelled commands, and magic pummelled the barrier separating us from Cherry. Nothing could halt the tide, however, and Cherry was soon treading water, horror in her eyes. She screamed, pounding the glass in desperation, but the very thing the officers had created to save her became a death trap as the water rose higher and higher.
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Soon there was only an inch or two of air, and Cherry screamed again as she tried keeping her head above water for as long as she could, but the water soon covered her, and she sank, flailing, bubbles streaming from her nose and mouth as she fought to hold onto what little air she'd managed to get before going under. It didn't take much longer for the inevitable to happen, and I turned away in sorrow as she drowned. "Check the other conspirators," I pleaded.
But it was too late - Faith had acted to take out all her former cohorts, rather than risk letting them spill the beans, and James swore as the reports came in. "We know the cubs are in Bristol," he said, squeezing my shoulders as he hugged me. "We can find out what we need to know without risking any more lives, but we risk the cubs' lives if we go in all guns blazing."
I took a deep breath to calm my shaken nerves. I'd never liked Cherry, but seeing her die had rattled me to the core. "I'd rather we at least try," I insisted.
James nodded. "I was going to say the same thing," he said. "I just don't want you worrying about being responsible for our daughter's death - that's going to be on Faith."
"I already knew that," I assured him. "Lindsay will say the same, no doubt. Let's go home and nut out our next plan."
"Your wish is my command," James said gallantly, and despite my pain, I smiled.
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