"Roxie!" Dad finally got to my side. He was stumbling, holding his damaged hip. He'd broken it years ago and being thrown across a room probably had aggravated the injury. "Are you okay?"

   I didn't answer, reaching for my shoulder. I gritted my teeth and forced it back into place. A white-hot poker jabbed through my spine. My teeth bit into my tongue and I tasted copper. Dad's eyes bugged from his head as he saw it click. "Roxie, you need a hospital--"

   "What I need," I growled out, "is a new practice staff."

   "What?" He stared at me as I hefted Alexie's fallen staff. "Honey, you're hurt. I don't care what you think you need, you're going to--"

   I ignored him to toss the staff upright. It vanished into the gap as I stored it away. My friends were finally getting up. Allie was pale as she stared at where they had been moments ago. "W-What happened? Where are they?"

   "No idea. But I know where Dani isn't."

   "Where's that?" Blue's master asked, his voice reedy. 

   "Hell," I snarled. "And I'm going to put her there. But first, I need my own staff." 

   "Miss Reilly, are you sure that's a good idea?" Allie's master was pale. She was an older woman with bright white hair curling down the sides of her leathery face. "She's a dark mage and she's been evading Alexie Albers for years. How could you possibly find her, much less kill her?"

   My jaw clenched and fists tightened. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not good enough. I glared at her sharply. "I'll figure it out later. I've got to get moving." I looked down and worked with the heels on my feet, pulling them off. Blasted things. My ankles were aching furiously.

   "Well..." She grimaced. "Getting a staff is easy enough. There's a staffmaker within a day's drive. You can--"

   "No."

   Everyone went quiet. Allie's master blinked. "No?"

   "No. I'm making it myself."

   Dad stared at me intently. I glared right back. "That's impossible. You'd have to go the Ghost Realm."

   "And?"

   All color drained from his face. "Roxie, no! That place is dangerous -- no one survives it. I won't let you."

   My laugh was sardonic. "You can't stop me, Dad."

   He grabbed my wrist before I could turn around. His eyes were pleading. "Roxie, what's going on? I've never seen you this mad, and I've been with you all your life. What's changed?"

   My jaw clenched and I met his eyes head-on. "Dani Darhk. She's nothing but a selfish bitch with too much power. She's taking everything from me. My life, my power, and now my master. It's about time I start to take everything away from her."

   I was going to stop at nothing. This woman deserved to die. And I was going to make sure that she got what she deserved. All through my life, I kept to myself. Live and let live. I was never the one to swing the first punch unprovoked. But Dani hadn't just swung a punch. She'd stabbed me. Right in the heart. She was pulling my own soul from my body for nothing but her own gain.

   It was time to show her who I was. Why the name Roxie Reilly was going to be remembered as the girl to be reckoned with in more than a Memphis high school paper. I was going to kill her. And no one was going to get in my way. Not even my own allies.

   Something in my shoulder heated up. I looked at Allie sharply. She smiled weakly and pulled back her staff. "Healing spell. I figured if you're going to be running off into danger, I might as well help."

   "Me, too." Blue pulled his own staff from the strap across his back and handed it over. I blinked. "Blue--"

   "It's just a practice staff. Generic for all mages." He shoved it into my hand. "Besides, if what I think you're saying is true, then you're our best bet. What else do you need?"

   Blue suspected that Alexie was gone for good, I could tell. I nodded and took the staff, tossing it into the air and letting it disappear. "Food, water, a pack, and a whittling knife. I can handle myself otherwise."

   Immediately, some of the crowd dispersed. I was a little surprised. They were all working to help me. I didn't know what to think. Dad stood off to the side, watching with trepidation, as they gradually returned. Ashley and Allie were brought back by Blue's master with bundles of supplies. Ashley thrust a new set of clothes into my arms. I changed clothes in the bathroom, pulling on the brown cargo pants and the grey t-shirt. I braided the rest of my hair tightly.

   By the time I got back, Harley and Liam were finishing stuffing a pack. Winston ticked off his fingers. "A dozen water bottles, a water filter, a first-aid kit, lots of rations, jerky, and dried fruit, and a whittling knife. Are you sure this is all you want?"

   "It's everything I need." I snagged the bag and pulled it over my shoulders. My eyes caught sight of the smudged concealer on my forearm. The makeup had been disturbed by the fight. I looked at it for a second, my jaw tightening. This mark . . . this bloody mark. As much as I hated what it represented, I was done hiding from it. Deciding to get this over with, I used a napkin from the food table to clear off the concealer from my arm. There was a noticeable hush from the masters and apprentices as the black ink became visible. I refused to look up, making sure all of the concealer was gone.

   There was a flash of light from the corner. What the heck? I looked over my shoulder, annoyed, until I saw the camera. The annoyance turned into shock and anger and I snapped my hand out. Crimson latched onto the camera and yanked it out of the woman's hands. She yelped. "Give that back!"

   I caught the camera in one hand and used the other to bind the reporter's feet to the floor. She almost toppled over, calf-deep in chopping crimson waves. My eyes narrowed as the group behind me shifted nervously. "How are you still here?"

   The reporter pulled at her leg. She grunted and looked up. "I need that camera back."

   "Too bad." I clenched my fist and it was crunched into a ball of metal. She squeaked. "My pictures!"

   "Taken of a private event without permission. Oh no," I said sarcastically. "Whatever shall you do?"

   "That was going to save my job!"

   "I honestly don't care."

   Ashley raised her eyebrow at the woman. "Aren't you Jen Kill? The reporter that was all tough stuff until you were fired once they realized you had been taking photos illegally?"

   "Oh, that's rich." I snickered. "Doing it again, are we Jen?"

   Her eyes flashed. "Oh, the piece I'm going to write on you--"

   "I'm so scared. A reporter is angry with me." I shook my head. "Like that's anything new. Go ahead and write whatever you want, Jenny. No matter what, you'll help me. Understate my ability and I'll knock everyone off their feet because they underestimated me. Overstate my ability and everyone will be too scared to come close." I smiled smugly. "So what are you going to do?"

   Jen faltered a bit. I had backed her into a corner. Simone had taught me how to deal with journalists ages ago. After all, she was a journalist herself. Simone knew everything in the book. There was nothing Jen could do to hurt me. I cocked my head. "All I want from you is that you promise to write what I'm going to do."

   "What you're . . . doing?"

   I released her feet and she stumbled. Jen looked up at me, sharply. "That you're going after Dani Darhk?"

   "Exactly. Write whatever else you want. Just mention that I'm going after her." My lip twisted into a smirk. "I want her to know. I want her to know that I'm on her tail. And there's a hell of a storm on my heels."