Blood be Damned: Magic Wars (Demons of New Chicago Book 3) by Kel Carpenter

Author:Kel Carpenter [Carpenter, Kel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-27T18:30:00+00:00

21

The York Street market was busy. More so than it had been during the last week we’d been here. Wood-paneled stalls and tents lined the block, selling wild game, medicine, herbs, and in Nathalie’s case—seeds. She had them in metal cannisters. My job was to bag and label them. Well, mine and Bree’s.

My sister wasn’t the helping type, which left it to me.

“I need more lemongrass,” Nat said, navigating conversation with three customers at once. I rifled through the jars, searching for it when she added, “Lavender too, and an Aloe Vera sapling.”

I glanced up at Bree, who was playing with an orb of dark green magic. It slipped over her hand and under her palm, twisted and turning with fluid grace. She juggled it across each of her fingers, the orb weaving around them with precision. It never wavered. Never grew.

A kernel of jealousy settled in me, making my words more biting. “Are you going to help, or just continue fucking around with your magic in the middle of a human market?”

Bree’s eyes slid sideways. Her silver eyebrows lifted. Her attention was fixed on me, and the orb continued to move flawlessly around her fingers.

“You told me I had to spend four hours with you. You didn’t say I had to participate.”

My teeth ground together in frustration.

“It was implied.”

“No, it wasn’t,” she scoffed. “If it had been, the magic would demand it, but here I am—and the only magic in sight is mine.” I pressed my lips together, and a smirk crept up her face. “Unless this isn’t about helping.”

I ignored her and continued digging.

Licorice root. Lilac. “There’s no lemongrass in here.”

“I know I bagged some last week,” Nat said. “Look again.”

I growled under my breath and fire sparked in my palm. I closed my fist, extinguishing it. Anxiety shot through me, but it was too late. Bree saw.

“You know, if you learned to use your magic, your life would be easier.”

I opened my mouth to tell her to shut hers, but the snap of her fingers interrupted me.

Instantly, two bags of seeds drifted up from two different boxes.

Lemongrass and lavender.

I stared at them, avoiding her taunting gaze. I took a deep breath, trying to cool the fire coursing through me. It was always there. Always smothering me.

I grabbed the seeds out of the air and rocked back on my heels. As I turned to give them to Nat, the Aloe Vera sapling she’d asked for floated in front of my face. Mocking me.

Wordlessly, I snatched that up too.

Tossing the seeds on the plywood counter and putting the plant down with a too-hard thud, I muttered to Nat, “I’m taking ten. Can you manage?”

“Well, actually—” she started, flashing the customer in front of her a smile while talking to me.

“Thanks,” I said, like she didn’t just disagree. I marched out the back of the tent, ignoring Bree’s stare and Cheshire smile. It was quieter in the back, but not empty entirely. A small stretch of sidewalk was all that stood between the row of shops and the brick building behind it.

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