Page 270 of Cursed Evermore

We stood together in the Hollow Room, the morning light streaming through the windows around us like golden threads of hope.

It was time to attempt the spell again.

Arielle, Garrick, Bastian, and Alaric formed the protective circle around Elariya and me. I'd brought everyone out today for additional support. The more power we had, the better. This time, we were going all out.

I acknowledged each of them, my gaze lingering on Elariya for a beat longer than everyone else. Then I glanced at the dragon scale parchment between us and the crystals that were carefully placed around it to anchor the spell. Everything and everyone were ready to go. We just needed to be right this time.

Gods, for the love of all things holy, please make this work.

It had taken me five years to get to this point. I didn’t have it in me to do another five. And I was sure by then, my Deathwalker powers would consume all that was left of me.

I looked back at the group—my Veythral and my girl—then picked up the athame.

“It’s time,” I announced, drawing in a deep breath. “Staying a hundred percent focused is key today. There’s a lot to worry about, but I need you to think of nothing else than what you’re supposed to do to make this spell work.”

They all nodded.

“This is a stronger spell than the last, designed to breech the barriers between realms and planes of existence. Like before, there’s a high chance that unwelcomed guests from the dead planes may slip through.”

“Leave those things to me,” Alaric said with a firm nod. “By my blade and my powers, they will not get through the doors of this hall.”

I nodded back with appreciation, knowing my brother carried the weight of this burden as much as me.

“Let us begin.” I placed my hand to my heart and bowed. “La níyneria, a mun dair.”

“La níyneria,” they all answered. Everyone including Elariya.

Hearing her vow back to me was indescribable. It made me believe I could have the future I wanted with her. I gazed at her and reached for her hand, the softness of her delicate skin against mine a balm on my dark soul.

“Ready, Ziyka?” I kept my voice low and soft.

“I'm ready.” The desperation in her eyes was unmistakable, radiating from her essence in waves. We wanted the same things, but of the two of us, she was the one the curse affected most. If nothing else, I needed the spell to work for her. She deserved to have her life back.

I nodded to Garrick. He began chanting his incantation, then lifted his arms, and a bright silver Galdrlore prism emitted from his palms. Arielle did the same, summoning the powers of the Fray, and the others joined. Moments later, Elariya and I weresurrounded by a wall of radiant light. The magic around us was so potent the bones of the manor groaned.

I raised Elariya’s hand and numbed her skin with a stroke of my finger, so she wouldn’t feel the sting of the blade. Once I was certain she wouldn’t feel anything, I ran the tip of the blade over her palm.

Dark blood pebbled instantly. The blood that would lead us to the ring. It felt more powerful than last time, another sign that her magic had grown.

I turned my hand over so the blood could drop onto the center of the parchment. Then I did the same to myself. One slice across my palm, then blood on the parchment.

Our blood blended together like lovers who’d waited a lifetime just to touch each other.

It was my turn to focus now and cast the spell.

“Syrith velor aethernal,thraven korum mal.Syren vael orum thar, thalorien en drakthal, Amuun dai del nenira. Amuun dai del nenira.”

As soon as I’d uttered the spell, invoking the powers of the eternal veins of magic, ancient bloodlines, dragon essence, and the celestial pathways of the stars, the air shimmered hard.

It rippled like a wave caught in a storm, then the shadows came.

Elariya moved closer to me, terror in her eyes. I took her hand to comfort her, then we both watched as amber light radiated across the parchment and our blood began to flow along the carved pathways.

The shadows writhed through the air, but we dared not look away.

Our blood traveled in a line across the parchment and, like before, began to form amap. The pattern came quicker this time. I could tell the Heartflame crystals were guiding the spell and keeping everything intact with concentrated precision.

The pattern flowed up into the air, pushing past the point it stopped on our first attempt. For the first time in forever, true hope filled my soul.