With a final surge of strength, Blake pulled me closer, his lips brushing my ear as he whispered, “Take it from me.”
I didn’t understand what he meant—until I felt it. He was giving me everything, pulling the backlash into himself, sacrificing himself to protect me.
But I wouldn’t let him.
I screamed, the power roaring inside me, threatening to tear me apart. I reached deep into myself, calling on my power.
The world around me faded as our magic consumed everything.
Metal around us crashed and splintered, some of it shattering into a million pieces. The fireplace roared out, flames nearly licking our skin as it caught the fabrics draped over the ledge and chairs. I could hear our allies behind us shouting, could feel their magic trying to stop whatever it was that Blake and I had created.
And then the magical storm, so violent it was roaring, slammed into us from all sides and threw my body back.
A near sonicboom. Then quiet. Silence so loud it almost rivaled the noise.
As I rose up to sit, I looked down at my hands, where the Mark should have been glowing red. Soul Paired. But it wasn’t.
It was black.
But I could feel air on my neck where the collar had been.
Something had gone horrifically wrong with our Soul Pairing, but our magical hurricane had broken the Serpent Lord’s collar. This pain was not for nothing.
My eyes searched across the room for Blake, who was pushing up and inspecting his own palms, brow furrowed deeply before his gaze met mine.
“Rubi?” Calla shouted, crashing into my side. “Gods, what happened? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I offered, still watching Blake as Jace and Malissa made their way to him. Malissa looked frightened, a look I had never seen on her. “Is everyone okay?”
Quinn hovered behind her. “Yes—everyone is fine. But this place is about to blow.”
The flames were roaring out of control in the fireplace, licking up the walls.
“We need to go,” Quinn shouted, backing away slowly. “It’s growing too fast…”
It wasn’t working.
Arms swooped around my shoulders, Blake settling a warm cloak over me—though I didn’t feel cold. If anything, it still felt like my skin was burning.
“Can you walk?” he asked, his voice strained. I nodded but toppled over on the first step I attempted to take. He scooped me up and carried me out to Kingsolver.
The others mounted their tygers, Auron hopping on Venom with Malissa. Quinn and Calla shifted, sprinting into the night.
Blake lifted me onto Kingsolver’s back, sitting up behind me and wrapping me in his warmth. I laid a hand on the colossal tyger’s back.
Thank you.
Kingsolver chuffed, a deep, rumbling sound that vibrated through my palm. I couldn’t hear his words the way I did with Flame, but the warmth that radiated from him was enough.
You’re welcome, came the soft voice in my mind.
Flame padded up beside us, her copper pelt glowing in the moonlight. Her body pressed close to Kingsolver’s, her flank brushing mine. She looked up at him with her deep firelit eyes. Then at me.
Blake kept me steady as I pressed my hand to the star on her forehead.
My fear was momentarily washed away by thankfulness. We didn’t speak, but I could feel her gentleness and care. Her love for me.
It was enough to finally allow me to relax against Blake as we made our way back to camp. But the night wasn’t over yet. Not with all that lay between us.
