Page 101

She grimaced the more he twisted. “It won’t come off! Not since that day.”

Hel conjured a knife, pressed it to her skin. She squealed, but he stopped himself. If he cut off her finger, he’d cut off Valeen’s.Fuck, fuck, fuck! He shoved her arm away. Her back hit the brick building, and she hissed in pain. Gods, he knew there would be consequences of her using that ring but what did this mean? “Is this another one of your tricks?”

“I wouldn’t do this to myself!” she snarled. She rubbed her elbow and nodded toward the old forge. “How is she?”

He glanced over his shoulder at the wooden door. His heart started pounding. Valeendidhave dark circles under her eyes and generally looked tired. She wasn’t losing weight like Varlett, but what if it was only affecting her slower? If Varlett brought Thane back from the dead, was the cost… a life for a life? “End the link. End it right fucking now. I know you can.”

“So you can kill me the moment I do?”

“I won’t kill you. I’ll even help you if you break the connection and let her go.” He tried to keep the desperation out of his voice, tried to sound cold but if Varlett was dying, so was his mate.

Varlett tore her gaze away. “And you think you could stop this?”

“I will try.”

“That’s not good enough!” she shouted. “I won’t end it. You’ll be a thousand times more motivated to help me while I’m still

connected to her. So do something!”

His mind whirled. Sweat slid down the back of his neck. Gods when did the sun get so hot? The person he loved more than anything in any world could be taken from him again.

He could save her from someone’s blade.

He could protect her from an attack but this… He was powerless, and he hated it even more because he was the god of magic.

He should be able to snap his fingers and end their link, but he knew Varlett would have set precautions for that. He would have. It would likely kill them both if he tried to end it. Varlett’sone last “Fuck you”. “I’ve created runes to stop magic from progressing?—”

“I’ve done it,” she snapped, peeling up the sleeve of her left arm. A rune mark was just below the bend in her elbow. “It did nothing.”

“Then we have to give the demon princes the ring back.”

“That was my first thought, but it won’t come off! I tried to cut it off, Hel. I can’t even puncture the skin around it.”

He growled at the thought of Valeen losing her finger. “Trade for me instead. End it with Valeen and bind yourself to me. I will become immortal. It’s the same deal.” And if the demon magic took him through the connection, he’d be reborn. He would find Valeen again.

Varlett rolled her eyes, then glared. “You really would do anything for her.”

“Do it.” A door creaked open. Fuck, it was her.

Hel turned on his heel to find Valeen marching toward them. She looked worried which meant she’d heard at least a little of what was said. “Hello, love.”

She shot Varlett an icy glare, then the coldness turned to careful inspection. Even a fool would see the changes in her, and Valeen was no fool. Her brows rose in surprise. “So, you brought Thane back from the dead and now it’s come to haunt you.”

“Hauntus,” Varlett added, clicking her talons together.

Hel gritted his teeth.I’m going to kill that bitch.

“No, this your fault, Varlett,” Valeen said angrily.

“I’m not denying that. But I don’t know what to do. You know about demons, don’t you Valeen? You’re the oldest of us.”

She crossed her arms. “I know what that ring can do for a demon prince, but I don’t know what it does to a mortal. It looks like it’s draining your life.”

“Our lives.” She scowled. “This wouldn’t matter if you found your immortality. Why isn’t that your primary focus? What are you even doing in that old smithy?”

“None of your damn business.”

“I’m looking for her immortality, and I’ll find it,” Hel said.