Page 94 of In Between Death and the Devil

“Maeve, shut it down.” Fen’s order was muffled by the rushing blood in my ears.

“I can’t.” I shouted through gritted teeth. The power within me built and built until I felt I might burst.

“Get back,” Titus yelled. “Off the matts.”

I looked down to see the material under my feet scorched and smoking. My entire body was lit up with a bright white light. I let out a scream as the pressure inside of me reached an unbearable level. I wanted to let it all go, but something in me wouldn’t allow it. I was stuck between an iron grip keeping my power contained within my body and something in me that continued to draw more from Fen. It hurt. So much.

“Help me. Please.” I sobbed.

“I’m sorry, Maeve,” Fen said as shadows wrapped around me. They were heavy and choking, as if trying to snuff out a flame, except instead of dampening my light they cut off my air.

Then I felt a sharp pull in the middle of my chest and the flow of power reversed. It drained away as quickly as it had built, leaving me empty and weak. The darkness around me deepened and I fell headlong into it, welcoming the oblivion.

“Maeve. Open your eyes. Please. Come back to me.” Fen’s voice pulled me back into the light.

I blinked my eyes open and found myself in his arms on the floor. The acrid scent of charred fabric filled my nose.

“There you are.” The relief in his voice echoed through our bond. Deep brown eyes flecked with swirling gold met mine. The worry and care in them brought tears to my eyes. “How do you feel?”

I looked down at my body, my hands. No light. Just normal skin. Thank the Gods. “I feel okay.” My voice was hoarse, like I’d been screaming. Which I had. My entire body flushed with heat, though a different kind than before. This was the red of embarrassment rather than the blinding white of destruction. I pushed myself from Fen’s embrace.

He reluctantly let me go, sensing my need for space.

The room was empty except for the two of us. Death take me. What had I done? “The others?”

“Outside.”

The door cracked open and Titus’s head appeared. “All clear?”

“Yes. You can come in.” Fen stood and offered me a hand.

I took it and let him help me up, too wrung out to try hauling myself to standing. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened. I failed. I⁠—”

“No, you didn’t.” My head whipped to Marcus who had followed Titus inside. “This was an assessment. We needed to know what you could do, where you need training. Now we know. That’s a success.”

I swallowed. “But I’m nowhere near ready to take on Death.”

“Of course you aren’t,” Fen said. “We don’t expect you to be.”

“But I need to be. I need to be powerful enough to⁠—”

“Given your little display, I’d say power isn’t an issue,” Titus said with a smirk.

I looked at my feet.

“Hey,” he said. “Jokes aside, you did great. I mean it.” The earnestness on his face made my nose sting.

“He does,” Marcus said. “Being a jackass is just his love language.”

“True,” Fen said.

“You both love it.” Titus nudged Marcus with his arm.

Marcus’s lips twitched.

“Thanks.” My voice was as small as my smile, but I felt a little better. “Where are Daphne and…” I couldn’t bring myself to say Bea’s name. My cheeks heated just thinking about her.

“She took Bea back to the Dungeon,” Titus said.