would be allowed to realize.
The blade sliced deeper. Swirling white flashed through her. She gasped.
Kiren’s chest heaved, the veins in his neck bulging.
The skull chuckled. “Not much more and she will be beyond your skill.”
She choked, unable to swallow. Panic buzzed through her brain as warm liquid spilled freely down her neck.
This was it. She really was going to die.
“You want it that badly, let her go!” Kiren ripped against his captors, throwing one to the ground. Two more crushed down on top of him, slamming his chin into the moss. “I will not give it to you when you could slit her throat!”
The words sounded distant, like she stood on her balcony listening to them carry up from the yard. Warmth drizzled down her front. Her cheeks were cold. The trees shook about her. She leaned completely on the body behind her, unable to locate her knees.
“Spare her,” Kiren begged. “On my word, you shall have it!”
Time was ticking. She felt it in the slowing beat of her heart, the dimming clouds at the corners of her world. She took a shallow breath and the weapon penetrated deeper.
“I swear!”
Everything was shaking. Fire shot up and down her throat.
“Damage her further and I will hunt you, one by one. I will bring your enemies—!”
The forest faded to black, her ears stuffed full of cotton. She forced her eyes open.
Kiren stumbled to his feet. Darkness crashed over her, slamming into her like a four-horse carriage. The ground trembled. She was no longer on her feet.
Emptiness.
Eighteen
Deal with the Devil
“I will bring your enemies down so quickly you have no chance to contemplate the waiting hell!” Kiren shouted, trembling.
A raucous smile widened across the Soulless skeleton’s face. “I believe we have an agreement.”
“Swear it!” Kiren’s muscles coiled. Alexia’s face was draining from peachy to porcelain, the very life seeping through the slit in her neck. Red hazed at the corners of his vision.
“On my eternal soul, you shall have her, as she is.” Amos turned to his lackeys. “Release him.”
Kiren jerked free, adrenaline coursing through his system. He slid a fist around the chain he wore, the weight that had been his far too long. He fought to steady his shaking hands, to not tear the chain links free. He lifted the charm.
Cloaked creatures fell back.
“Careful now.” The Soulless leader cringed, crimson pupils wide as he dug the blade into her neck.
Rage blinded Kiren. Power surged up through every nerve, shaking his frame. He stomped. The ground trembled. Trees shuddered and leaned away.
The Soulless shrank into the woods, all but Amos. He stood firm, blade half an inch from permanently severing Alexia’s airway.
“You are going to lose her.” The hiss sent chilling shockwaves through Kiren’s veins.
Not much longer. She had seconds, seconds and he would be too late.
Kiren lifted the chain, pendant dangling.
Sickly fingers opened wide to receive it. Kiren seized the medallion in one hand and shoved it into the palm of the thief.
The creature shrieked. Wisps of smoke rose from its charring bone in a sickly-sweet aroma.
“This does not belong to you, nor will it ever,” Kiren spat. “I will be coming for it.” He let go, snatching the sword in the same instant.
Wind whooshed into the grove—either Lester’s arrival or Ethel’s movement—but Kiren didn’t have time to confirm which. Beings tumbled over one another, trying to escape. Alexia collapsed in his arms. He clasped the neck-wound, inhaling as the life pulsed from his body into hers...
Nineteen
Running
A choked breath penetrated the silence.
Fire!
Fire against her skin!
Magma encased her, consuming her flesh until nothing remained but the sparkles behind her eyes. She breathed.
The sparkles glimmered into butterflies that flitted up and down her arm. She wanted to bat them away so she could sleep. They became angry
The blade sliced deeper. Swirling white flashed through her. She gasped.
Kiren’s chest heaved, the veins in his neck bulging.
The skull chuckled. “Not much more and she will be beyond your skill.”
She choked, unable to swallow. Panic buzzed through her brain as warm liquid spilled freely down her neck.
This was it. She really was going to die.
“You want it that badly, let her go!” Kiren ripped against his captors, throwing one to the ground. Two more crushed down on top of him, slamming his chin into the moss. “I will not give it to you when you could slit her throat!”
The words sounded distant, like she stood on her balcony listening to them carry up from the yard. Warmth drizzled down her front. Her cheeks were cold. The trees shook about her. She leaned completely on the body behind her, unable to locate her knees.
“Spare her,” Kiren begged. “On my word, you shall have it!”
Time was ticking. She felt it in the slowing beat of her heart, the dimming clouds at the corners of her world. She took a shallow breath and the weapon penetrated deeper.
“I swear!”
Everything was shaking. Fire shot up and down her throat.
“Damage her further and I will hunt you, one by one. I will bring your enemies—!”
The forest faded to black, her ears stuffed full of cotton. She forced her eyes open.
Kiren stumbled to his feet. Darkness crashed over her, slamming into her like a four-horse carriage. The ground trembled. She was no longer on her feet.
Emptiness.
Eighteen
Deal with the Devil
“I will bring your enemies down so quickly you have no chance to contemplate the waiting hell!” Kiren shouted, trembling.
A raucous smile widened across the Soulless skeleton’s face. “I believe we have an agreement.”
“Swear it!” Kiren’s muscles coiled. Alexia’s face was draining from peachy to porcelain, the very life seeping through the slit in her neck. Red hazed at the corners of his vision.
“On my eternal soul, you shall have her, as she is.” Amos turned to his lackeys. “Release him.”
Kiren jerked free, adrenaline coursing through his system. He slid a fist around the chain he wore, the weight that had been his far too long. He fought to steady his shaking hands, to not tear the chain links free. He lifted the charm.
Cloaked creatures fell back.
“Careful now.” The Soulless leader cringed, crimson pupils wide as he dug the blade into her neck.
Rage blinded Kiren. Power surged up through every nerve, shaking his frame. He stomped. The ground trembled. Trees shuddered and leaned away.
The Soulless shrank into the woods, all but Amos. He stood firm, blade half an inch from permanently severing Alexia’s airway.
“You are going to lose her.” The hiss sent chilling shockwaves through Kiren’s veins.
Not much longer. She had seconds, seconds and he would be too late.
Kiren lifted the chain, pendant dangling.
Sickly fingers opened wide to receive it. Kiren seized the medallion in one hand and shoved it into the palm of the thief.
The creature shrieked. Wisps of smoke rose from its charring bone in a sickly-sweet aroma.
“This does not belong to you, nor will it ever,” Kiren spat. “I will be coming for it.” He let go, snatching the sword in the same instant.
Wind whooshed into the grove—either Lester’s arrival or Ethel’s movement—but Kiren didn’t have time to confirm which. Beings tumbled over one another, trying to escape. Alexia collapsed in his arms. He clasped the neck-wound, inhaling as the life pulsed from his body into hers...
Nineteen
Running
A choked breath penetrated the silence.
Fire!
Fire against her skin!
Magma encased her, consuming her flesh until nothing remained but the sparkles behind her eyes. She breathed.
The sparkles glimmered into butterflies that flitted up and down her arm. She wanted to bat them away so she could sleep. They became angry
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