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Blair, no.” Iris reached for his hand. “You don’t have to.”

But Blair was determined. He held the ring so tightly in his fist that his fingers ached. He faced Obedience. “What do I have to do?”

“We can find some other way.” Iris turned to Gabriel, to Clement, waiting for someone to rescue Blair from having to do the witch’s will.

But no one did. Obedience gazed at his closed fist, a hungry gleam in her azure eyes. “I’m going to connect with her energy,” she said, motioning for Blair to open his hand. He reluctantly complied, his fingers cold and sweaty as he revealed the ring at the center of his palm. “I want you to close your eyes and connect to Lucy’s soul.”

Blair’s hand trembled as he continued to hold it out, Iris still tightly gripping the other. “What does that mean?” he exhaled.

“Just what I said.” Obedience closed the distance between them, placing three fingers over the ring. “Close your eyes, Blair. This should only take a moment.”

Blair’s eyes fell closed, and he forced himself to take in several deep, calming breaths.

He gasped as a force from within the ring tugged at the center of his chest. It was as though Lucy’s soul had been tethered to his by magic.

His sister’s words echoed through his mind as he tried to connect with her spirit.

“Be careful who you trust…

…careful who you trust…

…who you trust…trust…

…trust.”

Lucy, Blair thought, his chest aching as the magnetic pull between him and the ring intensified. Tears ate away at his scarred skin as they trailed down his face, creating rivers of blood, but he welcomed the pain. He deserved it for what he was about to do to her.

I’m sorry, Lucy. I’m so sorry that I never truly knew you, sorry for the horrible life you lead. Let me bring you back. You can meet our parents, our sisters.

Vaguely, he felt Iris’ hold on his hand tighten, felt her soft touch as she wiped the poison gently from his cheeks. He tried to stay silent, still, focused, but it was so, so difficult…

You’ll love spending time with Venetia, and you can visit Espirit’s family in Paris. She’ll bring you to all the museums. I bet you’d like a vacation after having to work all your days…

His words felt inadequate, almost shallow, but he couldn’t think of anything else to say to the sister he had hardly known.

Blair gasped, almost doubling over in pain. It was as though Obedience was trying to extract his own soul from behind his ribs, while his bones and muscles contracted to keep it in place. Or maybe this was Lucy’s attempt at resistance, the push and pull as Blair attempted to tug her soul from the ring while she did everything she could to release his grip.

Come back, Blair pleaded, swaying where he stood. A warm hand settled on his shoulder, while from the other side, an arm wrapped around his waist. The presence of Iris and Gabriel at his sides was like a balm, the only thing keeping him upright. Please, Lucy. Please⁠—

He felt a final, violent tug at the center of his chest before his hand flew up toward the ceiling as the ring was wrenched from his grasp. An agony akin to an electric shock radiated from his hand throughout his body, and Blair leapt away from his friends not a second too soon as his backbone ripped apart. His wings unfurled with the force of an explosion, snapping through the stagnant air alongside a bloodcurdling scream.

Blair collapsed against the dirt floor. His wings curled in a protective shell around himself as, without conscious thought, he began to rock.

Heel to toe.

Heel to toe.

Heel to toe.

“Get up.”

The voice barely registered over the ringing in his ears.

“Blair. Get up. Now.”

Clement wrapped a firm hand around Blair’s wrist beneath his wings and hauled him roughly to his feet. He tried to turn Blair away, but it was impossible to hide the scene reflected in every one of the surrounding mirrors.