A whimper escaped him, but then I felt him release my hair, then burst back several feet, implicitly understanding how much room I needed. Of course he did. Of course.
What I was about to do was going to be decidedly uncomfortable. Although, I supposed the vomiting already took the cake there. Not to mention, the vile burning sensation that was quickly being followed by stabbing spikes of pain inundating my very being.
I gritted my teeth and managed to push additional power forth until thick black glows enveloped my hands. “Persta. Meae voluntati pare,” I croaked.Persist. Obey my will.
A few moments passed and the burning eased—somewhat.
Not quite enough, considering I needed my strength and focus for what was to come.
Sweating, I pulled harder, the glow intensifying.
It pushed the resistance back further, albeit much like a piece of driftwood trying to hold back a tidal wave at present.
With a grunt, my palms still live, I dragged my robe off my left shoulder, exposing my navy tunic-style shirt beneath that fell a little long over my dress pants.
A slight flick of my power had my tunic pushed aside, revealing the magical wound beneath that I’d drawn into myself earlier.
I heard Ketheron’s gasp as he took in the sight of it—concentric jagged rings burned into my flesh. A thick ring of midnight-blue circled a band of molten amber, both enclosing a crimson core. My black magic splashed across all three like spilled ink, seeping into the colors and spidering out in blotches, fighting to prevent them from breaking free, from destabilizing.
My hand shook violently as I hovered my black glow over the site, needing to boost my ability to contain it, to hold it steady. “Potestas mea cuncta superat. Aequilibrium rerum servandum est.”My power transcends all. The balance must maintain.
The circles flared viciously.
No. Absolutely not.
I slammed my right hand on top of the other and roared, “Non mihi imperabis!”You will not command me!
My body shook with the force of it all, my power rumbling and rolling.
And then it had me crying out as it burst out of me in a sudden shockwave.
I thrust my hands out and fisted them, and a wave of black tendrils rushed back to me, swirling all around me, sparking and lashing.
Protecting me.
Safeguarding what was so dear.
What I had to. No matter what.
My strength returned bit by bit, and I was able to rise back to my feet, a heavy sigh escaping me.
Ketheron burst back toward me with his supernatural speed, coming to a stop right in front of me, his expression so deeply worried and pained.
He threw his arms around me, and my magic welcomed him.
“All is well. It’ll hold long enough now for me to do what I must.”
He eased back, holding my forearms. “The additional power you called in order to do that when you were already maxed out… you pulled on the essence of your lifeforce, didn’t you?”
I swallowed. “Yes. I am sorry, treasure. I had no choice. I can’t break the connection or he will perish.”
“I know,” he rasped. “Just… be so very careful. There is no margin of error for you now. If your power taps out, you’ll—”
“I won’t die.”
“Ambrose—”
I cupped his cheek. “I made you a promise, did I not? Besides, we are sparing the life of a necromancer. That comes in handy where untimely deaths are concerned.” I quirked my lips.
