Page 35 of Mantle (IMMORTAL FLAME #3)

“How did you even access the spell itself to be able to determine any of this? And when?”

“Shortly after that night you caught me with my serum and found out my secret. That night when you selflessly agreed to help me, I quietly vowed to do the same for you. I accessed the inner sanctum of Maven Coven by wielding one of their visiting Ancient Vampire guests they were meeting with to discuss extra protection for their Coven in light of Blackline Protocol being put into effect.”

“Fuck me, that was risky.”

He lifted a shoulder. “We’ll call it a calculated risk.

I don’t like taking control of the undead in that way, but it was the most feasible way to access what they didn’t want known.

I had no idea if I could break what bound you until I recognized the necromantic magic buried at the core of it.

” He cocked his head to the side. “You see through the spellwork, though, yes? The cost to liberating you?”

“Two costs.”

“Correct.”

“First, you would have to die by actual definition. Your heart would need to cease to beat. But, as you can see from the spell I’ve written, I would tether you beforehand and pull you back from death before you enter the Valley of the Dead, before irreversible damage is done.

At the same time, the moment you are between life and death precisely, I would put the legacy enchantment in stasis. If I don’t—”

“The Maven Coven and my parents will fall as the enchantment will be broken, their power will be drained with me no longer essentially an anchor for it all.”

“Precisely. Now, it can’t remain very long in stasis. It would need to be transferred to somebody.”

“That somebody needs to be given a choice. I won’t let this be a curse to an unsuspecting soul. I won’t pass on pain like that.”

“Do you have somebody in mind?”

“Marlise Leroux.”

He frowned. “Your ex?”

“One of the Maven Coven’s most talented and revered magic-wielders. She’s always coveted the role of Head of the coven.”

“Perfect. You line that up and I’ll prepare the rest.”

I couldn’t believe it.

Could this actually be?

Could I actually be free of it?

I laid my hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for doing this. It means a great deal to me.”

Emotion shone in his eyes for a brief moment and he gave a nod of acknowledgement.

But that was all he could endure, and then he looked away and gestured through to the kitchen. “So, how’s the serum situation?”

“All ready to be placed in the syringes. You can take your next dose at any time. And it won’t be forever, Sylas. I promise you that. We will find a way to fix this.”

He smiled, but light didn’t reach his eyes. “Let’s hope.”

“I have an idea. Maintaining a high-level spell long-term requires immense effort and constant energy—that kind of sustained casting would drain anyone.” I paused.

“Anyone but a Celestial. If Ariana infuses the spell with her magic, we could turn it into a self-sustaining process. A continual, perpetual generation of the serum.”

His eyebrows shot up. “That would be incredible. Thank you, Kai.”

Before more could be spoken, a thunderous crash sounded outside, followed by a wave of blinding light that shot through the house like a violent lightning flash.

“What the shit was that?” Sylas exclaimed, swinging his head toward the front of the house.

Our answer came in the next moment when a blast of silver light had the door flying open.

My breath caught in my throat, my pulse spiking, as Ari stumbled over the threshold.

Her wings were out, and she grabbed onto the doorframe for purchase, barely able to hold herself upright.

I rushed to her with Sylas at my back.

As I reached her, I went to support her body, but she held up a shaking hand.

“I’ll be fine… just need a few moments.” She sucked in a breath.

“Where is Nyx? I tried to reach him, but his mind was locked down or something. I couldn’t employ a tracking spell in my current state and get here to you. And I needed to prepare you.”

“Nyx is fine. He was recovering after forcing his memories forth. He’s likely entered into a healing sleep, something much like his dreamwalking state for him.

He wasn’t happy that I benched him while you were missing.

” I caught myself. “Prepare me? What’s going on?

And what the fuck happened? Did Corvin—”

“Yes, he took me. He used my power to destroy the veil over all Chimera Circle labs so the Guardian Movement would move in and be distracted from what else he was doing. And he… he had Ketheron. He used me to strengthen the leash that he has on him and now… now he’s reprogrammed him, enslaved him to his will.

He has Draco’s sword, Kai. But I can’t… I don’t know where they are.

But when we find them, I have an idea. It involves you and Nyx working in tandem.

We need your ancient magics that you used to hold Cassius at bay temporarily.

I know you can’t hold that long, but we only need a few moments for Nyx to get to work and—”

I grasped her arms. “Take a breath. What Corvin did to you—”

“I can’t get into that. Corvin has Ketheron out there, forcing him to hurt people, to raze and destroy. That has to be our priority. I know the rational, calculated side of you sees that clearly, but your love for me is currently clouding it.”

“You’re hurt. You’re barely mobile.”

“Corvin injected me with some of Ketheron’s blood.

It’s weakened me and I had to fight past it to employ mammoth power to escape.

It’s just taking a toll, I just need rest. It wasn’t an incapacitating concentration—despite what Corvin believed.

Once I rest and Vorzyr uses his Primal Celestial Resonance to remove the trace elements of the blood, I’ll be fine.

But it does mean that I can’t be the one to stop Ketheron right now. But you and Nyx can.”

Sylas cursed. “That bastard has escalated to full-on insanity.”

I jolted in the next second as a mind-link blasted open.

Vorzyr’s voice sounded through my head, frantic and straining.

“Unity Council. Ketheron is unleashed. We need you. Need Ariana too, but I still can’t reach her.”

“She’s here with me. Just arrived. She’s weakened, so her mind is probably on lockdown.”

“You found her?”

“She found me.”

“Motherfucker… thank hell.”

“We’re on our way. Hold on, V.”

I closed the mind-link and reported Vorzyr’s words.

“Oh my God,” Ari breathed.

I spun to Sylas. “Stay here. You can’t be in the thick of battle right now. Notify Ryker Morgan and Cornelius Martel.”

At his nod, I gathered Ariana into my arms, then teleported us to Nyx, where we’d make a pitstop to wake him up, then stop this fucking madness.

Together.