My demon wolves treat her like they would any demon scum on Earth, draining her energy within seconds. But unlike the low-level demons, they don’t seem able to consume her body, leaving her remains gray and lifeless instead before they back away from her.
Taniya’s harpy is in full control of her as she lands back on the crystal surface, her wings swilling the lingering, dark mist of my nightmares. “Death is too good for her,” she croons.
The moment of quiet breaks when Roman roars. “To me! Quickly! Before she revives.”
She can revive? Fromthat?
I guess I was hoping that this was the true end of her, despite what Roman said about not being able to end her permanently.
I shake myself, pulling Koda the few steps toward Roman while my wolves dart toward him too. Malia steps in on his other side, and Taniya soars back to us.
Roman grips the weapon, placing one hand over the stone. “Be ready. We don’t know what pain awaits if we crash into the magic that keeps the gates locked.”
“Wait.” I gasp. “Will we take Esta with us now that she’s here?”
“The weapon only latches on to the living and only within its sphere of light. Stand close. The mist will constrain its power, so you must stay close.”
I press against Roman’s side with my wolves, while my sisters are more hesitant. I don’t fucking blame them. Cozying up to Roman in his nearly pure demon form is no walk in the park. Even Taniya’s harpy, as bloodthirsty as she is, takes a beat before she presses in. Malia follows next and we all wrap our arms around each other.
Koda is last, but I tug him toward me, and he ends up next to Ruby, who is also hesitant. She didn’t join in the attack on Esta, but she’s following Ace’s lead now.
I take a deep breath. Exhale quietly. Press my cheek to Roman’s enormous bicep. For a moment, I feel safe.
“Be ready,” he says, a deep rumble.
He twists the weapon’s clasp to one of the runes depicting Earth. The writing lights up—an aqua glow—and Roman’s muscles tense, as if he thinks it’s going to activate immediately.
Instead, the line of silver energy within it brightens.
Roman’s rumble reaches me. “I think I need to—”
He rolls the stone downward, the silver line descending to the rune.
The stoneclicks.
The weapon’s light blazes and then…
I’m being torn apart.
CHAPTERSIX
Light burns hot against my skin, filling my vision with flames so scorching that they burn silver. The flames press against my left side and an opposing force pushes back against my right side, and neither of them seems about to give.
Through the pain, I can only just distinguish the shape of the magic on my right side. It’s darker and seems to conceal a solid surface. A magical barrier.
Literal gates.
They’re made up of bars of glowing metal with shimmering but translucent energy filling the gaps in between. Through the gaps, I can see the red rock walls of the cavern where we fought Koda for the weapon. He wanted to destroy the weapon and remain on Earth, free from the Elimination—and I understand his motivations now—but his actions only worsened the cracks in the Balance between the worlds. There is no escaping our fate. The only way out isthrough.
I’m acutely aware of my pack’s pain through our bond. Their energy is being torn apart and fear fills my mind that we’re trapped here against the gates, which clearly haven’t opened despite Esta’s death.
With a scream, I wrench myself around to fully face the entrance, pressing my palms flat against the magical barrier.
The icy burn of my power grows within my heart.
If I don’t rip these gates apart, my pack will die.
Just as I’m about to release my power into the metal, Roman’s shout reaches me. “Nova! Don’t!”
