I thought—
I thought.
It hadn’t gone anything like we expected. We didn’t stand a chance, and yet…
We were alive.
A sob broke through me as I pulled her into my chest.
“I love you. I love you.”
She was crying as she said it back.
It didn’t take long to find the rest of my siblings scattered across the forest floor. Everyone was safe—except Kitty.
A sinking sensation grew in the pit of my stomach. When I looked around, I saw the same grim realization on every face.
Mom appeared in a flicker of gold and dropped to her knees the second she saw us. A sharp cry burst from her lips. Her mouth moved, but no words came out as she looked us over, silently counting each of us.
Her smile faded.
“Where’s Kitty? Where’s Kitty?” She gasped. “I don’t—I don’t feel her.”
Her breathing turned to wheezing sobs as she collapsed forward, hands fisting the forest floor. We dropped beside her.
“The Devil has her,” Joy whimpered. “She’s not dead, Mom.”
“Then why can’t I feel her?” she screamed, her voice broken and raw.
“I think she’s imprisoned with him,” Maureen spat, hate dripping from every word.
Mom’s eyes darted between us, frantic. Searching. “I don’t understand. The Devil didn’t cross over. He let himself be imprisoned.”
“I heard him talking to Kitty,” Payne said, holding Joy tighter. “I think she was his goal from the very beginning.”
Disgust rolled through me. I was supposed to protect her. Keep her from him. Instead, I’d been powerless. And Kara paid the price—for all of us.
“Why did he remove our curses?” August asked.
That silenced us.
“The Devil removed your curses?” Mom asked.
“Yes…it’s gone,” Maureen whispered, closing her eyes. “It’s peaceful.”
Mom’s chin trembled. “My baby. What must she be going through? Why?”
“She’s his mate,” Nova said, surprising me. I remembered the murder in her eyes during the fight—how she looked at the Devil like she would end him herself.
“He must care about her,” she continued quietly. “He had plenty of chances to kill us. And he didn’t.”
“He didn’t,” I admitted, throat thick.
Mom clutched her chest and stood abruptly, glancing around.
“What is it?” Barron asked. “What’s wrong?”
She stared behind me, then raised her hands to her mouth.
