Asher grew still in his seat, chiseled from stone as he stared at Clara with a blank expression on his face. “How do you know this?”

“They probably promised him power in exchange for his help, and like the dumbass he is, he accepted.” Zeke muttered under his breath. “They were probably going to kill him off once they got what they wanted.”

“Yeah. Me.” I swallowed, glancing at him. “They would’ve used my magic, I’m sure of it.”

“When you two were fighting, he had a witch using magic on you. I sent Mason off to find her, but he didn’t have any luck. Chances are she was being protected and whoever was doing the protecting pulled her out the minute you won, which shouldn’t have happened, by the way.” Clara replied to Asher’s question, leaning back in her chair.

I swallowed the knot of unease in my stomach at the thought of Asher losing. “What do you mean it shouldn’t have happened?”

Clara looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Your mate should be dead, but he isn’t and I don’t know why