The Heir of Death - The Final Formula 3.5 Read Online Free Page A

with anyone, unintimidated by social status or magical power, but if the conversation turned personal, especially anything to do with Rowan, she blushed. It made her all kinds of fun to tease.
    “Addie?” Ian’s voice echoed up the stairs. “Liquid or powder?”
    “Liquid,” she called, then turned to Elysia. “I’d better get down there.”
    “Addie.”
    “I’ll take the sandwich. Don’t worry. He won’t let me do much.”
    “If I stop teasing you?”
    Addie frowned. “That’s not why I’m leaving. I forgot to explain the next step to him.” She picked up her sandwich and headed for the stairs.
    “Uh-huh. Sure,” Elysia said to the empty room.
    She eyed the sandwich she had been building, then began to return the components to their original packages. Tonight, she would face Alexander. She didn’t want to puke on his feet.
     
    Elysia stood before the mirror on the back of her closet door and eyed her reflection. The brown necromancer’s robe fit her well, but then, she hadn’t changed much since it had been given to her on her eighteenth birthday. She didn’t think she had worn it since.
    “That’s a bit disturbing,” James said from the doorway.
    She turned to face him, surprised that he had snuck up on her. She usually sensed his death—or the portal opening. He still wore the same clothes from earlier, so he must have driven over.
    “What do you mean disturbing?” she asked.
    He waved a hand at her robe. “You look like a necromancer.”
    “I am a necromancer.”
    He frowned. “You know what I mean. The only time I’ve seen those brown robes, the situation wasn’t a good one. Much like tonight.”
    She turned away from him, walking to the dresser to retrieve her hairbrush. “As soon as I have Mattie’s location, I will summon you.”
    “Good,” he said from directly behind her. He didn’t startle her this time. She had been paying attention. She gathered her hair and secured it in a low ponytail, then tied a bronze ribbon around it.
    “But I’ll wait until I’m in his presence to call you, so be ready.” Ready to rip out Alexander’s soul.
    “I’ll be ready.”
    She sighed, returning the hairbrush to the dresser.
    “What?” he asked.
    “I don’t like using you as…an assassin.”
    “We all agreed that Alexander must be destroyed, and I am best suited for the task.”
    Elysia knew he was right. Alexander had been controlling Doug’s father, Xander, from the moment Xander had become Deacon, decades ago. Actually, Alexander had controlled every necromancer who had held that position since his own death nearly 150 years ago. It was time for someone else to lead the Old Magic community. Someone who wasn’t insane.
    “I’m sorry about earlier,” James said, interrupting her thoughts.
    “Me, too.” She faced him. “I shouldn’t have commanded you.”
    “I deserved it.” He shrugged. “I was being pig-headed.”
    She smiled. “Maybe a little.”
    “I just want to throttle the guy.”
    “Doug might be the typical arrogant necromancer, but he’s not a bad man.”
    “He let Neil stunt you.”
    “He didn’t know what Neil intended.”
    “I was present when he discussed taking me from you.”
    “So he could use you against Alexander and free his father.”
    James crossed his arms. “Free his father or protect himself?”
    “He doesn’t deserve to spend the rest of his life possessed by an undead sociopath.”
    James frowned. “I’m sure he would have released me once the task was complete.”
    “Maybe. Maybe not. We’ll never know.” She reached up and rubbed away the wrinkles between his brows. “Because you’re mine.”
    His gaze locked with hers, the predator rising to the surface. “It’s not only me he wants to possess.”
    She slid her hands beneath his open jacket and gripped his shoulders. “There’s my green-eyed monster.”
    “Ha ha.” His hands settled on her hips. He held her gaze with those green eyes, then bent down and took her