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She hesitated, her gaze flicking to me before settling back on Annika.

“To truly sever the connection would mean killing her,” Rowena said, her voice low but steady.

“No.” The word burst out of me like a growl, raw and unrelenting. “Absolutely not.”

Rowena didn’t flinch. “If the tie remains, Aurelius will never be fully contained. He’ll keep pulling at her, feeding off her strength until there’s nothing left of her. She’ll be trapped in this state forever—neither alive nor dead.”

“No.” I shook my head, backing up a step even though every fiber of me screamed to protect Annika. “There has to be another way.”

“There might be.”

I froze, hope and fear tangling inside me. “What is it?”

“I can try to force him back into the crypt,” she said, but her voice was uncertain now. “I can strengthen the binding spell and close the door tighter. But it won’t kill him, Lucas. Aurelius can’t be killed.”

I didn’t care.

“Do it,” I said, stepping closer, my voice firm despite the dread clawing at my chest. “Whatever it takes… just bring her back. Please.”

I brushed Annika’s hair from her beautiful face. She looked so peaceful, like she was only sleeping. I bent down, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Then, Rowena started.

I stood frozen, my fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms. Smoke curled from the incense burning all around, making my eyes sting, but I could barely feel it.

Annika lay on the cot, too still, too pale. Her chest barely rose and fell, and with every passing second, the fragile thread of hope inside me frayed.

Rowena’s hands hovered above her, trembling slightly as she chanted words in a language I didn’t recognize. The air grew heavier, charged with something unnatural, and for a moment, I thought I could feel Aurelius, like a cold breath slithering down my spine.

Rowena’s voice rose, her chant becoming sharper, louder. Her eyes fluttered shut as the energy built around her, but then—

Nothing.

Annika didn’t stir.

Rowena’s hands faltered, and the flicker of power that had been building suddenly collapsed. The tension in the air evaporated, and Rowena stumbled back, gripping the edge of the table for support.

“No,” I growled, surging forward. “No, keep going! You can’t stop!”

“It’s not working!” Rowena snapped, her voice strained and raw. “He’s too deep inside her, Lucas. The bond is stronger than I thought.”

I grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at me. “Then try again.”

“Magic doesn’t work that way!” she hissed. “This isn’t some trick or spell I can repeat over and over. She’s fighting, but he’s winning.”

“No,” I said, my voice breaking. “You can’t let him take her.”

Rowena’s eyes softened, but it wasn’t enough to dull the sharp edge of panic slicing through me.

“She’s still here,” Rowena said, more gently this time. “But I need more time, and I don’t know how much she has left.”

Annika’s fingers twitched. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but I saw it.

“She’s fighting,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “She’s fighting him.”

Rowena stepped closer, her hands trembling as she reached for Annika again.

“She’ll need more than just me to pull her back,” Rowena said, her eyes locking onto mine. “She’ll need you.”