Kaia is on the ground where she was before. Her eyes are slit open and she’s not moving.
“She’s…she’s not dead, is she?” I ask, grabbing her hand. She’s ice-cold.
“No.” Maxon gives me his scythe and picks her up, cradling her against his chest. “If she was, there’d be nothing left.”
“Literally nothing,” I echo.
“Right. Her energy reserves have been nearly drained. She needs to get back to the academy and go straight to the infirmary.”
“Let’s go.”
Max stands and I extend my free hand, conjuring a string of magic to draw the sigil. But as soon as the portal starts to open, the ground shakes.
“Go!” I yell, and push Max and Kaia through. I’m almost in when a large clawed hand wraps around my waist and rips me out of the portal. Maxon’s scythe slips from my grasp, but I still have mine.
Drawing on all the energy I have left, I swing it hard and hit the demon in the shoulder. The blow sends a shock through it, and it drops me to the ground with a thud.
“Addy!” Maxon yells, voice echoing from inside the portal.
“Go!” I shout. “Save Kaia!” I push myself up and take a step back. The portal is still open. Could the demon try and pass through?
“I think he underestimated you,” the demon grumbles, looking at the thick black blood oozing out of its shoulder. “He always sends me the easy ones.”
It swipes its finger over the wound and licks its own blood. What? Someone sends the demon reapers?
“You’re still no match for me, girl, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.” The demon leers at me, flashing yellowed fangs. “Run, little reaper. Let’s see how fast you are.”
The portal closes and I lurch forward, propelling myself into the air with one big leap. My chest aches, and I know it’s from the lack of energy. I land hard on the ground, lacking my usual grace. My ankle twists and I fall, staggering when I try to get up.
The demon is on top of me in no time, pinning me to the ground.
“And I thought you said you were fast food.” It laughs and moves in, opening its mouth. I fight against it, and right as it starts to pull my energy from my body, Maxon appears overhead and hits the demon with another spell.
“Precutio!” he cries, and drops to his knees, fighting against the spell. The demon is knocked back, but only a few feet this time. “Now, Addy,” Maxon says through gritted teeth. He’s holding out his hands, energy quickly leaving his body. His skin is turning gray as the spell drains him.
“Stop!” I yell. “You’re killing yourself!”
“Get…the…demon…”
Blinking, I grab my scythe, push myself up onto my feet, and close my eyes. I’m so worn out, so depleted of energy. My legs tremble and I fear I might pass out, collapsing before I have a chance to kill the demon.
Before I have a chance to save Maxon.
My scythe suddenly goes hot in my hands, and a pulse of energy ripples through me. I gasp as the exhaustion lifts, every cell in my body seeming to glow with renewed strength. Taking advantage, I leap to my feet and soar toward the demon, who’s pinned to the ground from Maxon’s spell. Screaming with rage, I bring my scythe down as hard as I can and chop off its head.
The demon’s body melts into black ooze that dissipates into the ground.
A wave of dizziness hits me, and I drop my scythe, my fingers too weak to hold it. My knees give out and I hit the ground, but I refuse to let that stop me. Anxiety and fear propel me forward, and I crawl over to wear Maxon is lying motionless on the ground.
“Max!” I collapse, hand extended. Everything is so cold and the darkness starts to creep over.
“Addy,” he rasps, and I feel the tips of his fingers brush against mine. Finding a strength I didn’t know I have, I grab a handful of grass and pull myself to him.
“You…you saved me,” I pant, and push up to my knees. I crawl the rest of the way to him and fall at his side. He wraps his arm around me and we stay like that for several seconds before I’m able to get up.
My vision is hazy and my head is spinning. But it’s over. The demon is gone. Kaia is alive—Maxon managed to get her safely through the portal. She’ll be waiting for us on the other side.
Yet…this is only the beginning. Someone has been leading the reapers to the demons.
