An immense wave of pride welled up inside me, unexpected and fierce enough to momentarily overshadow my fear. Yes, I was worried about her. Yes, I hated that we’d led her into a trap. Yes, I knew Cas was a breath away from going six kinds of sideways. Yes, I knew Zane would insist on bombing the hell out of that place once she was stable.
But right now, in this second, my beloved was a goddess of courage and self-sacrifice.
“What are you smiling about?” Cas snapped.
“She saved us. She knew she didn’t have the strength, but she did it, anyway.”
“That’s not something to celebrate! That’s—”
“That’sour girl,” Zane said. “Breaking rules to save our asses.”
“She didn’t break rules until she had to, and when she finally did, it was in a way that brokeherinstead of us,” I added.
“She shouldn’t haveneededto break any rules! She shouldn’t haveneededto put herself in danger for us!”
That was truth, pure and harsh. We’d walked her right into a trap. The?aumakuahad tried to warn me all day, and I’d ignored it.
Never again,I promised them.I will listen next time.
Seri stirred slightly in my arms, a small sound escaping her lips, and I held her closer.
“Hang on, beloved,” I whispered. “Just hang on.”
Cas flung open the back door, and we burst into the kitchen, where Mrs. Wentzel stood prepping a leg of lamb for the oven. One look at us and she transformed, the chef’s efficiency rivalling Cas’ as she swept everything off the kitchen island with one broad stroke of her arm, cookware and ingredients clattering to the floor.
“Put her here. What happened?”
I laid Seri down as gently as I could, my hand lingering on her cheek. Her skin felt like winter marble beneath my fingers.
“Dark sick,” Cas answered, checking Seri’s vitals again.
I didn’t even know if Mrs. Wentzel understood what that was, but her eyes narrowed. Without another word, she turned to her grandson, who’d just exited the pantry with wide, startled eyes.
“Addison, Lady Seri’s med kit,” she ordered, and the boy took off running, sneakers squeaking.
“She needs purification.” I never took my eyes off Seri’s face. “Something to neutralize whatever’s clinging to her.”
Zane had begun pacing, leaving puddles with each step, murmuring a litany of, “This is bad. This is bad. This is so fucking bad.”
“Elixir, Zane!” Cas barked. “Now.”
The command broke through Z’s spiral, as Cas knew it would.
“Which one?”
The question that launched a brief, but violent debate while Mrs. Wentzel tipped water between Seri’s lips.
“Moonlight distillate.” An obvious solution to me. “Gentle and appropriate for a lunar witch who has corrupted shadows lingering on her. Designed to purge and restore balance.”
“Too slow.” Zane shook his head. “Takes a day to work.”
“It’sgentle.” I gestured to Seri. “Look at her, Z. She’s barely holding on.”
“Which is exactly why we need something strong and fast!” His hands flew everywhere. “Wyrmwood and starlight elixir! Anti-possession and deep cleansing!”
“That shit is like drinking liquid fire,” I argued. “It’s an excruciating process that lasts an hour minimum.”
“But it purgeseverything,” Zane shot back. “We need to be sure!”
