Page 96 of Galen

“I don’t know,” I said, wheezing for a breath. “It’s like something’s preventing me from putting the ring away. The box just flew out of my hand and broke, Galen.”

“You need to leave,” Galen yelled over the guttural growls as shades piled into the room. “There’s too many.”

I pulled myself up off the floor and looked back to see him fighting four at once. More appeared in the doorway, and bile rose in my throat when I finally got a good look at them. Beneath the swirling smoke of their heads were pale white faces with gaping mouths and sharp teeth. I stepped toward the door again, only to be halted in place by an unseen force.

“Stop fighting me,”the voice said.“Obey.”

Obey what?

A shooting pain consumed my entire body, and I cried out, falling forward and catching myself on the corner of the desk. It felt like a lightning bolt struck me dead center, the electricity shooting to the tips of my fingers. The ring burned hotter in my grip, and my hands moved on their own.

I slid the ring onto my index finger.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. The fire from the ring seeped into me, traveling through my veins. I gasped for air as it felt like claws dug into me from the inside. I feltwrong.Ringing in my ears muffled the noise around me. I heard Galen screaming for me, but he sounded so far away.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and in the back of my mind, two red eyes appeared. Just like from my dream. I was on fire. Being torn apart from the inside out.

“Galen!” I cried, trying to stand back up.

When I fell back to the floor, I didn’t move again.

Chapter Seventeen

Galen

“Simon?” I thrust my dagger into the neck of another shade before going to his side. He lay still. Too still. I smoothed the hair off his brow, my hands shaking, both from adrenaline and fear. “Baby, open your eyes.”

Another shade lunged at me, and I ripped its head clean off his shoulders, roaring as I tossed the body aside. Pain slashed through me, a sign that one of my brothers was injured. The quick following of another sharp pain, then another, had me shaking. More than one of them was hurt.

Everyone close to me was falling. We were losing the fight.

I gathered Simon in my arms and cupped his cheek in my palm. Why wasn’t he moving?

“Well, isn’t this an interesting turn of events.”

I looked up at the demon who’d just appeared in the doorway. The shades had backed off and stood behind him, baring their sharp teeth at me.

“Phoenix,” I spat.

He casually strode forward, his gaze lowering from me to Simon. “Such a pity, really. This wasn’t meant to happen. I suspected it might though.”

“Tell me what’s happening to him,” I growled, then ground my teeth against the anger boiling in my blood. It was taking all my strength not to jump up and rip him to shreds. I wanted answers first.

“In simple terms? He’s dying.”

My heart dropped into my stomach. “What?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t sense it,” Phoenix said, eyes narrowing as he studied me. “So much for you and your band of fools being the most powerful beings on earth.”

“Sense what?”

“His blood.” Phoenix stopped beside Alastair’s favorite chair and rested a hand on the back of it. “You see, there’s a certain sweetness to it. One that matches someone else’s.”

“Whose?”

“The one meant to wear that ring.” He pointed to Simon’s hand. “The power must’ve recognized his blood and latched onto him because of it. Can’t blame it, really. It’s been trapped inside that damned box for ages. With the threat of being shoved back inside and freedom so close, I’d be clawing to get out too.”

I lifted Simon’s hand and tried to slide the ring off his finger. It wouldn’t budge.