25. Karn

25

KARN

I can't think over the roaring in my head. I can feel the bracelet acutely now - and it's inside a godsdamned auction house. If anyone has touched Mira…

The auction house doors slam open under my power, wood splintering as demonic energy pulses through my veins. The scent of fear fills the air - sweat and panic from the gathered crowd as they scramble away from me. My violet eyes lock onto the stage where Mira stands, her dark hair falling around her shoulders, looking scared to death.

What the fuck happened?

"Get the fuck away from her." My voice booms through the room, making the chandeliers rattle. The auctioneer, a sleazy bastard in an expensive coat, stumbles back from Mira.

"This is a private auction, demon." He tries to sound authoritative but his voice cracks. "You have no right-"

I stride forward, my copper hair crackling with energy. People tend to think that because I'm more reclusive, I'm not dangerous. They forget how strong my magic is to produce runes and charms all day every day.

It's time I remind them.

My voice booms over the crowd. "That woman is under my protection."

"Karn." Mira's green eyes meet mine, a mix of relief and apprehension in them. She takes a step toward me but a guard grabs her arm.

Bad fucking move.

The floor beneath us trembles as my power surges. I bare my fangs, feeling the demon side of me rise to the surface. "Take your hands off her before I remove them permanently."

The guard releases Mira like she's burning hot. Smart man.

"This is outrageous!" The auctioneer sputters. "She was found without papers, clearly a runaway-"

"She's mine." The words come out in a growl. I reach the stage in three long strides, stepping on it without even breaking the rhythm. The crowd gasps as I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close. The familiar scent of her - herbs and honey - helps calm the rage coursing through me.

"You can't just-" the auctioneer starts.

I turn my head slowly, letting him see the full demon fury in my eyes. "Try to stop me. Please." The threat hangs heavy in the air as silence falls over the room.

A slow clapping echoes through the auction house. The crowd parts like water as a tall figure emerges from the shadows, his gold-threaded braids chiming with each deliberate step.

"How touching." Valek's golden eyes fix on Mira. She tenses against me, her fingers digging into my arm. "But I'm afraid you're mistaken about ownership, northerner."

My jaw clenches at his accent, at the way he looks at her like she's a prized painting. "She belongs to no one."

"Oh?" He pulls a scroll from his elaborate purple robes. "These documents say otherwise. As do the marks on her skin." His gaze slides to Mira's wrist where his brand mars her flesh.

"Paper burns." I shift Mira behind me. "And brands can be removed."

Valek's perfect composure cracks for a moment, his eyes flashing blood-red. "You dare steal from me? Do you know who I am?"

"I know exactly what you are." The metal fixtures in the room start to vibrate with my anger. Many people here are my customers. "A collector who treats people like trinkets."

"Such barbaric accusations." He gestures to his guards. "Return my property, and I may let you leave with all your limbs attached."

I bare my fangs in what could almost pass for a smile. "Touch her and I'll show you how barbaric a northern demon can be."

"Karn." Mira's voice is soft but steady. "He won't stop."

"No, he won't." I meet Valek's gaze. "But neither will I. She leaves with me, free and clear. Or we find out if southern blood runs as red as northern."

The air crackles with tension and barely contained magic. Valek's perfect mask slips again, showing the cruelty beneath. "You're making a grave mistake."

"The only mistake was ever letting someone own her in the first place." I back toward the door, keeping Mira safely behind me. "Come for her again, and I'll remind you why even southern demons used to fear the north."

The metal fixtures rattle and groan as my power builds. I keep Mira close while spreading my other hand, drawing the raw energy up through the floorboards. The nails and wiring hidden in the walls sing to me, resonating with my magic.

"Last chance to walk away." My voice comes out deeper, rougher as the demon side rises.

Valek's lips curl. "Take her."

His guards surge forward. I don't move, don't flinch. Instead, I release the power I've been gathering in a controlled wave. Metal screeches as I rip it from the walls - nails, pipes, decorative fixtures transforming into a deadly storm around us. The guards stumble back as razor-sharp shards hover at throat level.

"Impressive parlor trick." Valek's voice stays steady but his eyes betray his unease. "But mere metalwork can't-"

I clench my fist. The beams above him collapse on top of him as I reshape it into a cage of twisted metal around him. His guards draw weapons but freeze as I tighten the metal bands.

"I could crush you." The words rumble from my chest. "Turn that pretty cage into a coffin with a thought." To demonstrate, I flex my fingers. The metal constricts just enough to make Valek's breath catch.

My control over the metal stays precise even as more power floods my system. The floating shards dance and weave, forming a protective barrier between us and them. This is what my craft master taught me - not just strength, but finesse. The power to shape, not just destroy.

"Your reputation doesn't do you justice, northerner." Valek's silky voice holds a note of calculation now. "Perhaps we could-"

"No deals." I guide Mira toward the door, the metal barrier moving with us. "No negotiations. Just a warning - come near her again, and I won't be so restrained."

"Surely we can-" Mira's pained gasp ignites something primal in my blood and I turn to see that Valek has motioned a guard forward. Metal spears through him, his body falling to the ground before he can so much as bruise her.

"You should have listened." The words come out in a demonic growl as I release my hold on the bit of civility I have. Which, granted, isn't much. Power surges through me, making the very foundation of the building shake.

Valek's golden eyes widen. "You wouldn't dare-"

I rip every scrap of metal from the walls in a single violent burst. The pipes, nails, and fixtures swirl around us in a lethal storm. His guards, who had been looking for a way out, scramble away, but I'm focused solely on him.

His lips curl into that cultured sneer. "She's mine-"

The words cut off as I drive a nail through his hand, pinning him to the ground. His magic flares, trying to fight it, but he clearly doesn't know how to work with runes.

"Barbarian," he snarls, his eyes flashing red. "You think mere metal can-"

I silence him by wrapping wire around his throat. His braids chime as he struggles, those golden bells catching the light. "You're right. I am a barbarian. And you just made your last mistake."

His blood magic flares, trying to counter my control, but I've spent years mastering my craft. The metal responds to me like it's alive, constricting as I lift him off the ground.

"The great southern collector." I twist the metal, watching him gasp. "Always taking what isn't yours."

He tries to speak but I tighten my grip. The wire bites deep, drawing rivulets of red that stain his perfect clothes.

"This is what happens when you touch what's mine."

With a savage jerk of my hand, the metal tears through flesh and bone. His body drops to the floor as his head rolls away, those golden bells chiming one final time.

The silence that follows feels absolute. Blood pools around his corpse, seeping into the expensive carpet as his guards flee in terror.