Xavier gave him a stern look.
“Or not,” he muttered. Xavier had stripped a warper wizard of his powers, but maybe he didn’t want Arcane learning about that ability. He felt bad for saying anything. He should have known better. The thing was… When he really broke it down, he loved Noel. On a deep level, he still did. He looked at this man and realized that though that love was there, trust was still an issue. But he did want to have that. He wanted it so much that he made a decision.
Despite their audience, he strode to Noel and reached up to cradle his face in his palms. “You have to stay safe in there. Do you understand me?”
Noel quirked a crooked smile, his eyes lighting up. “Are you saying what I think you are?”
“Yes, I’m giving you a chance, and I want that chance, so no heroics. Promise me.”
“Daniel, I will do my best, but if I get the chance to get that amulet, I’ll take it.”
“Fair enough.”
Noel leaned down and kissed him softly, whispering, “I love you, Daniel Ravenwood.”
“You fucker, I love you, too.” He kissed Noel this time before turning to the others. “Let’s do this.”
Lake held out his arms, and they all put their hands on him. The warp was fast and, thankfully, not as disorienting as usual, since it was for a short distance. But still, Daniel arrived inside the building dizzy. He blinked rapidly as the things around them came into focus. Sheets of plastic on some walls, tables, sawhorses and several wood pallets with stacks of pipe and roofing materials.
There were three preternaturals, one of whom was holding out his hand to cast a spell. The other wizard wore the amulet, and his mouth moved as he muttered words.
Xavier froze in place, but his features tightened in pure determination as he slowly raised his hand.
“Xavier,” the wizard with the amulet said, drawing out his name. “How nice of you to come to us. You just made everything far too easy.”
Xavier didn’t respond—probably couldn’t respond because of the amulet’s magic. Still, his hand continued to slowly lift.
Daniel watched in shock that was mirrored on that wizard’s face. Xavier was stronger than the amulet. It was only slowing him down.
The other wizard had obviously cast a binding spell on Xavier as well, and with all their attention on the most powerful man in the room, they weren’t paying attention to Daniel.
He threw a wraith hallucination into their minds, and they immediately started dodging the beings only they could see. But he knew what they saw—monstrous ghosts who came at them with extended claws and sharp teeth.
The jinn misted, and Daniel quickly dodged to the left because that preternatural could go right through him. He solidified, and Daniel turned his world into a living hell with another hallucination, making him feel like he was trapped in lava. The jinn screamed, and Daniel smashed his fist into his face, making him fly back into a stack of boxes. He left him writhing on the floor and turned back—only to be trapped in his own worst nightmare.
Noel was slowly lifting his gun to his own head. The panic that ripped through Daniel felt like a hundred knives, and he raced toward the wizard wearing the amulet. But the wizard turned his furious gaze toward Daniel. Daniel froze, unable to throw out any more suggestions. He was helpless as he watched Noel start to lift his gun again.
He fought against the amulet’s magic, but it was like being buried in heavy sludge. He couldn’t move. Could only watch while he struggled against power that completely took him over.
Xavier had managed to get his hand up, and a swirl of wind filled the building, sending papers from the one desk flying into the air.
But Daniel could see that Noel was still raising his gun. The panic that filled Noel’s eyes speared through Daniel, and he couldn’t breathe as that gaze zeroed in on him, flooded with raw emotion. There was so much there. Fear, yes, but true regret, remorse, and a wave of love and apology.
Noel couldn’t speak, but his eyes told Daniel that he loved him. And that he was sorry it would end like this.
The gun reached his temple.
Daniel’s fear and panic reached epic levels, and his magic rose despite the amulet’s power. The scream built in his stomach and chest until it felt like it would explode through his ribs. With absolutely everything on the line, he didn’t stop it.
He let his scream free.
The high-pitched wail exploded out of him. Windows shattered, and the desk flew off the floor, knocking the wizard back. The amulet came loose, went flying, and Xavier caught it with his raised hand.
Still, Daniel screamed. Walls began to crumble and broken glass swirled into the air. PVC pipe spun about wildly along with plastic tubing. The other wizard fell to his knees with his hands over his ears. Lake yelled before he warped out of the building.
Still, Daniel screamed as more windows shattered. It was like letting a separate monster loose, the scream obliterating everyone and everything. His throat grew raw, his lungs burned, yet he didn’t stop.
Hands landed on his shoulders.
