Page 508 of Axis of Fire

The words came out barely above a whisper.

The demon let out another growl, almost as if it agreed with me.

No one answered.

Silence settled over us, giving my words room to sink in.

To be understood.

"Listen..." Loretta began.

Another roar cut her off.

"You don't—"

The demon roared again, drowning out her voice.

All of us turned toward it.

And that's when my confusion deepened.

The demon was gone.

In its place churned a vortex of fire, devouring itself from within.

Its roars grew weaker.

More pained.

As though something inside it was being torn apart.

"Did... did it work?" Pria asked.

"I hope so..." Loretta started to answer—

but this time she was interrupted not by another roar...

...but by a sharp, ringing snap.

A portal tore open before us.

Dilraba stepped through it.

She was as pale as a ghost.

My eyes dropped to her hands.

They were covered in blood.

As though she had been fighting a battle every bit as brutal as ours.

"It's time to go back," she said.

"And quickly."

Chapter 49

The body lay at the center of the grounds, covered with a pristine white shroud and surrounded by flowers in the color of his magic.