So, I softened my hold and asked the magic to help me contain Death and free the world of its unnatural blight.
The bright bones lifted, beautiful in their flight, shimmering white like my bonding wraith. Once they had cleared Ara, the skeleton came together, and the eye sockets flashed with dark green light.
The jawbone opened as Death roared.
“Come to me, Ara!” I held out my hand. “Run!”
Aranren started running. The distance seemed far greater than it was and his movements felt too slow. But he was nearly to me in a moment. The tips of our fingers brushed.
Death's roaring became deafening. A brutal pain shot through me, separating me from the Elements. My dark wraith shrieked and shot out of the bones, sucked back into me, while the Elements and Spirit were also evicted violently. The blow knocked me backward, away from Ara, while he was sucked away from me.
My last sight before I passed out from the pain was of Aranren hovering in the air, limbs stretched wide as the bone cage—dull once more—settled around him.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Ember?”
I came awake with fear clawing at my chest. Not for myself, but—
“Ara!” I called out and struck my hands out.
Xae snatched my hand and pulled me into an embrace. “I'm so sorry, Ember. So sorry.”
“No,” I whispered. “No, I had him. He was free. I nearly had him.”
“We just didn't have enough strength,” Rath said gently as he stroked my back. “And you didn't have enough training.”
I started to weep, and my men folded around Xae and me, their presence a reassurance that I didn't deserve. Their love, their dedication, and their acceptance—all more of what I didn't deserve. I had failed. Again. It was so close. The end of the war. Ara's freedom. And I wasn't good enough.
“We will get stronger,” Keltyr said.
“Youwill get stronger,” Taroc said.
“Where is he?” I eased back from Xae's chest and swiped at my eyes. “Is he gone?”
It wasn't necessary for me to specify who “he” was. My lovers looked at each other and instead of jealousy or anger, they showed only concern. For me and—I was surprised to realize—for Aranren.
“When we arrived, you were both in a trance,” Rath said. “Nex had been trying to . . .”
“What?” I growled, my eyes narrowing. “What was Nex trying to do?”
Xae answered for Rath, “Kill Aranren. The Corrupter was in a trance too. But Nex couldn't get to him. There was a ward around him. You, however, weren't warded.”
“The Elements summoned us,” Keltyr said. “We were with you when you fought Death. Could you feel us?”
“Yes,” I whispered and grasped Kel's hand. “Thank you.” I looked around at the men I loved. “Thank you for always giving me everything you have. You never fail me.”
“We did today,” Taroc growled. “I'm sorry, Ember.”
“It wasn't you,” I said. “Ifailed today. I took on Death before I was ready.”
“No, Spark of the Goddess,” Air said. “You didn't fail because you did something wrong. You did everything right. The spell didn't hold because you couldn't follow the proper order. And that's not your fault. You had to save Lord Vexen first. So, you weren't able to pull Death fully into Aranren before you set the cage. Today we learned that it's an integral step.”
I remembered the dark swords falling toward Vex and shuddered. “Yes. All right. But the why isn't important. Deathnow knows our plan.” I shook my head. “He'll be better prepared next time.”
“And so will we,” Air said.
“Air,” I said. “All of you. Thank you for bringing my men to me and for standing with me today.”
