My pulse picked up as he carried me to the altar. The dizziness and hollowness I felt steadily amplified. If not for the Djarins’ attack, I might have been able to wait until tomorrow for the full moon. But I could feel myself quickly fading away.Unless this ritual worked, I wouldn’t make it past the next couple of hours.
Lyall carefully laid me down, arranging my head and my limbs in a comfortable position as I felt too weary to even lift my hand. He leaned forward, caressed my cheek, then gently kissed my lips. The love in his eyes almost had me tearing up. But it was the worry he desperately tried to hide that had my chest constricting.
He straightened and turned around to face the statue. He spread his arms and lifted his palms facing up in a stance of open humility.
“Hecate, great goddess of witchcraft and magic, of crossroads, of doorways and transitions, hear my cry. You who bring light to darkness, who hold the key to every secret and to every door, and who freely travel between the realms of life and death, I beseech you, hear my cry.”
He glanced at me over his shoulder and gestured one hand in my direction before returning his attention to the statue.
“Great goddess of magic, your daughter lies before you, torn and hollow, with half of her soul hovering at the threshold of the netherworld, trapped in an Amulet of Reaping. Humbly, I beg that you shine your divine light upon her and guide her soul back to its seat. Please make my soulmate whole again.”
His plea completed, Lyall walked towards the pillars framing the altar. The two to my right, closest to the statue, had a sconce with an engraving of the symbol of Death. The other two to my left had a sconce engraved with the symbol of Life. He waved his hand in front of the first torch of Life to light it with mage fire then crossed to the other side of the room to also ignite the second one.
A wave of magic swept through the room as purple light bathed our surroundings. A magic circle beneath the altar litup, and my skin began to tingle. Heart pounding, I waited with bated breath for what would happen next.
A soft gasp escaped me when a grinding sound resonated overhead. I looked up at the same time Lyall jerked his head towards the ceiling. A large stone glided sideways, revealing a light well that allowed the moonlight to flood in.
A series of runes began to glow around the edges of the altar, and even more magic built around the room, seeping into me. Lyall turned to look at me, the excitement on his face reflecting the one I felt.
And then nothing.
The seconds stretched into a minute, and then two with nothing else happening. My mate looked around us in confusion before glancing at the statue. I could see his wheels spinning as he tried to figure out what he had done wrong.
“What am I missing,” he whispered to himself, a deep frown creasing his brow. “The torches are lit. Both are torches of Life, not Death. The divine light is shining down on her.”
He glanced up at the skylight and then at the glowing altar with a troubled expression.
“Divine light is key to unlocking the doorway to the seat of one’s soul. And only a true beloved can hold the key. Am I supposed to hold an actual key?” he mused aloud, before looking around the room again, baffled.
My heart broke with each passing minute with nothing else happening as he searched in vain for what the key might be. The only key visible in the room was the one held by the statue. And that one clearly wasn’t removable. Anyway, where would it even go if it could be detached?
Drawing on all the energy I had left, which had been boosted a bit by the purifying water as well as the magic from the altar, I gently called to him.
“It isn’t the full moon yet, Lyall,” I said in a tired voice.
He approached me, a mulish expression settling on his handsome features. “It doesn’t have to be. The ritual clearly states that it’s only stronger then.”
“True,” I conceded. “But Kali said there was a low success rate.”
“And Pharos said but there was a path to our happily ever after,” he countered stubbornly. “No matter what it takes, I will figure it out. I am not losing you. Not now, not ever.”
His eyes went out of focus. I imagined he was mentally reviewing the message Kelly had sent us.
Tears pricked my eyes as I lay there, helpless, in trying to come to terms with what now seemed inevitable. Inquisitors were trained to be at peace with the probability of death. But I hated this. I wanted more time. In fact, Ideservedmore time with Lyall. The worst part was the thought of leaving him this way. I knew beyond any doubt that he would blame himself for my death. But it was never his fault to begin with. Fate had set this wheel in motion for me decades ago.
Lyall repeated his plea to the goddess to no avail. I could feel myself fading rapidly. The pain, nausea, and fever were rearing their ugly heads again. It was taking everything in me to repress the spasms that had my muscles wanting to contract in an excruciating fashion. I wouldn’t last much longer.
Helpless anger burnt in my gut. If not for Elliot’s last malicious attack against me, I might have had a chance. Why had he even tried to steal the amulet? How would that have benefited him in any way? Why couldn’t they have just left me alone?
“Lyall,” I whispered.
“No!” he snapped angrily. “Don’t say it.”
Tears welled in my eyes, and I gave him a quivering smile.
“I love you,” I said, pouring all the emotions I felt towards him into these three words.
He crouched next to the altar, taking one of my hands while caressing my hair with the other.
