Do something!
The tingling in August’s fingers built, and he reached out blindly, frantically grasping for the veil. But his power latched onto something else. An anchored. He drew it in, forced it to obey. Like the last time, it felt effortless. Practiced.
Save me.
It grabbed hold of Felix and wrenched him away, and he stumbled back, wide-eyed.
August’s gaze shifted to the anchored, and his stomach plummeted.
Lottie.
Startled, August released his hold. She blinked once, then turned to face him. Her eyes flashed with searing anger.
He’d grabbed her. Forced her. Controlled her. Just as Felix had controlled him.
I’m sorry,he wanted to say, but the words stuck behind the lump in his throat.
Lottie’s anger withered into something worse, a silent look of betrayal that hurt more than the dagger still lodged in his gut, because he knew exactly how that felt.
He was no better than Felix.
The thought split August clean down the middle.
Without a word, she vanished.
He’dusedher. And he wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive him for it. Why would she? He still hadn’t forgiven Felix for doing the same.
Felix stood frozen in place, dizzy with horror. He could still feel the icy hands on him, could still see the familiar face.
No, he’d imagined it. He must have. He looked to Marlow, but her expression mirrored how he felt.
Not his imagination. Lottie was here. Had she been with them the whole time?
He swallowed hard. “What was that?”
August yanked the dagger free and tossed it aside. It landed with a thud on the dirt floor of the barn. His tattered shirt was soaked through, his hands coated in red.
Felix knew it wouldn’t be fatal. Well, he was pretty sure.
But that was a lot of blood.
August lifted his gaze, his eyes black from lid to lid. When he tore open the veil, Felix didn’t stop him. He was too busy chasing his thoughts in circles.
Marlow hurled a string of curses at him. “What are we meant to do now, Felix?”
He stared at the place where August had disappeared. The aesling wouldn’t come back. They were on their own, withouta way to stop the darkness from spreading. He snatched the dagger from the ground and wiped the blood on his frock coat before sheathing it.
Felix had spent so long with his anger buried beneath the surface. He kept his temper reined in, fought every urge to use his magic. But lately, it was a constant battle for control over himself. And with August, he lost the fight every time.
He took a shaky breath.
The last thing he wanted to do was to tell Marlow they had no choice but to turn around. He didn’t want to admit that they’d failed. Because of him.
He didn’t have to.
The air in front of him split open with swirling darkness, and he jumped back in surprise. August stepped through, and without as much as a passing glance at either of them, he turned and headed to the barn entrance.
“Let’s get this over with,” August mumbled. “I’m so fucking sick of both of you.”
