I channeled multiple bolts as we both directed them around the courtyard, aiming to eliminate as many Infernals as possible before they reached us.
I wondered where everyone remaining from the Perry Hollow were.
When only a few Infernals were left, Chrome looked back overhis shoulder at Slate. He nodded and faced me. “That’ll be enough. Slate and the others can handle the rest.”
But I wanted to destroy them all. I didn’t care if it destroyed me in the process.
“Gray, you need to stop before you burn up all that energy again. You’re in devolution, so you’re gonna be susceptible to stronger cravings now. The more you chance it…” he warned.
When I didn’t stop, lost in the power, he yanked me into a kiss. His tongue immediately delved in to dance with mine. My body melted against his as he held the back of my head. “Come back to me, Gray.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.” I whispered.
“No,” he said, his forehead pressed against mine. “You’ve saved me. Every fucking time.” His deep voice held every regret and every shame. “Did you read the letter?”
I nodded slowly, just appreciating his skin against mine. My throat squeezed as more tears threatened to rise. “Why did you give me that?”
“Because I needed you to know how to end this. I brought it to you that morning because I knew it was about me and the bond. But I knew nothing of the Eternal Sword. I’d hoped you’d find out. But when Slate…” He closed his eyelids tight and swallowed. “When Slate temporarily purified me for the first time when I left you with Brecken, I went to Celanea’s library. Found an ancient book and stumbled across information on the Eternal Sword. I pieced together what your mom had said in the letter, and it confirmed to me that you had to be the one to free me.”
“You mean…” My eyes widened in realization. “So you’ve been trying to tell me this entire time to kill you?”
Chrome nodded, looking at a mysterious sword that Cotton wielded. Its blade was white with illuminated blue sigils inscribed on its face. “Please.”
“I don’t know if I can, Chrome,” I whimpered. “I?—”
Droplets of rain began to sprinkle on us, gradually picking up intensity.
Chrome clenched his jaw and grabbed the sides of my face to force me to look at him. “Gray. You can. And you will. You have to. Or things will only get worse.”
“But there has to be another way…” The rain increased until it became a downpour. I watched a droplet slide down his cheek as if it were a tear. Maybe it was, and I would never know. But he remained strong for me, knowing he needed to or there was no chance I could go through with what was needed.
I looked around, seeing that all the Infernals were gone. Cotton stood beside Onyx, the ethereal sword in his grip. It was just as described in my mother’s letter. How had he ended up with it? His gaze clashed with mine, and I swallowed the lump in my throat before facing Chrome again.
“I—” I started to protest before Chrome’s eyes widened and his jaw opened in shock.
I followed his gaze downward, seeing the point of a sword protruding from his diaphragm. “Please…” he said once more before stumbling toward me.
“No!” I shouted, panicking before realizing that he would heal.He would heal.It was just a Kinetic or Elemental sword.
Chrome fumbled forward as the blade was snatched from his body, jet-black blood pooling from his mouth. I wrapped my arms around his waist before Slate dashed over to catch him beneath his arms to ease him to the ground.
When Chrome cleared from my view, Royal Okrafor remained in plain sight with a smirk on her face. “Nice to see you again, sis.”
I lunged for her, but she stepped out of the way just in time. I glimpsed the sword she’d just impaled my Twin Soul with, realizing with horror that it wasn’t a Kinetic or Elemental sword. It was the metallic color of Slate’s hair. Through the blood being cleansed from it, thanks to the rain, I spotted black wisps climbing up the blade.
“What have you done?” I growled, summoning my heightened Kinetic power and my enraged element.
“Returned him to the Syphon Bond, of course.” Royal smiled, rotating the blade in her fist.
I spun around, finding Chrome on his side, Onyx and Slate crouched beside him.
No. No…
I launched a gust of wind at Royal, and within the air, I infused it with my electricity. Once it landed true and immersed her in the volts, I commanded my element to thrash her unpredictably while the rain mixed with my Kinetic ability. Hoping that would be enough to kill her, I sprinted for Cotton.
“If you didn’t kill her, I was about to…”The look in his olive glare was murderous—something I’d never seen on his unreadable exterior before.
“I need the sword, Cotton. Now…please.” I shoved my wet hair from my face before I held out my hand toward him, pleading with him through my eyes.
