Page 58

57

EVANGELINE

“T hese things are ancient, and look at their eyes, they’re blind, hunting by their sense of smell alone.” Eldric crouched down beside me, looking equally horrified. “My guess is, they’ve been here for centuries. Maybe left behind from Lord Aurelius.”

“You’re so not helping.” I drew my own blades, the long, curved ones, though looking at that thick hide…I doubted they’d do me much good.

“I said to talk them to death, not us,” Blake hissed. “You are seriously a major pain in the ass.”

The revenants lurched forward, reeking breath spilling from their gaping mouths, the scrape of deadly claws on stone even worse than the wet slap of those nose flaps opening and closing.

How do you want to play this ? Blake asked, keeping me blocked behind him. While Eldric looked like he was seconds from passing out, Riordan’s magic was already spooling out around him, his pale monsters ready to rip and tear.

I’ll take the one on the right . Riordan gathered his white magic into a singular, barely formed creature, little more than a long reach of shadow terminating in sharp, snapping fangs. You focus on the left, then we both concentrate on the pack leader.

“What are we doing? Is there a plan?” Eldric hissed. “Please tell me there’s a plan.”

“Stop talking so loud,” I whispered. “Of course, there’s a plan.”

“Well, what is it?”

“Try not to fucking die,” Blake drawled, spooling up his shadows, as the closest revenant prowled another step closer, ichor-flecked saliva spilling between hideously sharp teeth.

The thing lunged, faster than should be possible, front claws cutting grooves in the stone floor of the Keep, as Blake flung his shadows in a fluid rush, a wall of death nothing could survive.

Except, even as powerful as his magic was, those deadly shadows skimmed off that thick hide, crashing into the revenant behind it, hitting it full in the face. The thing shook its head, drool splashing everywhere, hanging from the stones and ivy in long, dripping gooey strands.

“Well, that’s not disgusting,” Eldric hissed, bouncing from one foot to the other, every freckle standing out against his pale face. “Why don’t they kill it?”

“Give them a chance,” I hissed back, spooling up my own magic, as the closest revenant snapped those powerful jaws, strong enough to shear my head from my shoulders in one bite.

Riordan moved with practiced efficiency, his magic now more red than white, spawning a trio of hideous creatures of equal size and ferocity as those we faced. I swallowed as he cast a whip of glowing red light, finer than a thread, undulating through the air before it struck its target.

The revenant took another prowling step, eyes fixed on him, head low to the ground as if it were preparing to pounce. Then the red glow in its gaze faded, its body slumping to the ground, cleanly sliced in half like it had been cut with an enormous blade.

“Get Evie behind those rocks.” Blake’s eyes darted to the tumbled pile in the center of the Keep, a part of the castle that had collapsed long ago. “Find somewhere to hide while we deal with the others.”

Eldric didn’t hesitate before grabbing my arm. “Come on, we’ll just get in the way and they need room to wield their magic.”

I knew he was right, but leaving them felt wrong. “Blake?—”

“Will be fine,” Eldric assured me, already pulling me toward the ivy-covered rock. “This isn't his first dance with these creatures, and it won’t be his last.”

As if to punctuate his words, Blake's magic finally found its mark, shearing through an attacking revenant and leaving nothing but a pile of ashy hide and shattered bone.

Get moving Evie, let us deal with this, then we’ll all go inside together. My mate was fearless as he sidestepped the pile of smoking ash, calling up another wall of shadows, launching them at the snarling trio of monsters.

“See?” Eldric muttered. “Totally under control. Nothing to worry about.”

“I’ll bet you’re regretting trying to impress my sister, right about now.”

“I’ll never regret that, but yes, the library is looking pretty damn good right now.” He dragged me behind the rocks as the floor beneath our feet shook. “Besides, you are totally going to put in a good word for me when we get back.”

“And why would I do that? I don’t even like you.”

“You fucking love me. And Angel is going to love me too…as soon as she takes me seriously.”

I gave him the side eye. “My sister isn’t impressed with heroics. That’s not what floats her boat.”

“Oh?” Curiosity lit up his handsome face. “Then give me all the information I need to win her heart and sweep her off her feet.”

Riordan’s white fire took chunk after chunk out of another revenant, biting right through that thick, scaly hide like it was an apple skin. Even from here, the stench was mind boggling.

“The bookcase was a good start. Angel needs gentleness right now, Eldric, not male posturing. She needs to know she can trust you to never hurt her and to always be there for her, no strings attached.” I sighed. “I guess what she needs is a friend. I don’t know if she’s ready for anything more, not after Tyrell.”

“Then a friend is what she will have,” Eldric said, looking thoughtful. “And if…”

Don't come down here, you must return to Crimson House. You are in danger, Evangeline.

Malachi’s warning blared through my head, my entire body jolting in response.

One second, I was crouched behind the rocks, my gaze fixed on the battle right in front of us, the next, I was poised on the first step of a shadowy staircase leading down into the bowels of this place. “Malachi’s down there and he’s in trouble.”

“Evie, you can’t go charging down there,” Eldric warned in a low voice. “ Wait .”

I turned back to Riordan, fighting like a madman, casting whip after whip of magic, his creatures devouring one revenant like a side of prime rib, Blake slowly crushing another beneath a wall of darkness.

But all I could see was the spiral staircase descending into darkness.

All I could feel was the blood bond pulling me downward like a physical force.

Eldric wrapped his hand around my upper arm. “Do not even think about going down there alone, they will kill me. Feed me to the revenants. And I am not dying that way.” Every panicked breath sawed in and out of his mouth.

But that pull was compelling, obsessive, undeniable.

I gripped my daggers tighter and took a deep breath. Somewhere below, Malachi was facing Ravok alone, believing he was protecting us by sacrificing himself. He was willing to die for us, and I wasn't about to let that happen.

I tore out of Eldric’s grip. “I’m going to…”

That was all I got out before I was falling, straight down into the center of that dark pit.