Page 39

ENOUGH GAMES

SERYN

M elina’s voice echoed through the prison as the globes dimmed once more. “No need to scurry away. There’s nowhere to run anyhow, pet. Have you found your mother? She’s around here … somewhere.”

Ire and crimson skittered over my flesh.

We wouldn’t find Mama now.

“I’m going to stab her eyes out,” Breena growled before both Marek and Rhaegar put their hands on her shoulders.

“That’s what she wants. For us to react. To come to her. Keep your heads. There’s always a way out,” Rhaegar reasoned. Breena rolled her shoulders, dislodging the men, and then turned with a huff, gaze scouring our surroundings.

I did the same, eyes locking onto the visible threads of energy flowing from all directions, weaving between glass and ghouls.

If we were near a powerful source of ember, then the key bearer simply has to conjure a destination . Phantasos’ words flit through my distress .

“The siphon,” I said.

“Worth a shot,” Marek mumbled.

Breena let out a sound somewhere between a curse and a roar as she unknowingly stepped behind her into a reaper.

Instantly, it dug its bony grip into the back of her shoulders, a trail of inky smoke sucking from her crown and into its shrouded cavities.

Within moments, her cherry aura sputtered, her objections falling limply to her boots.

“Bree!” I shouted, fractured rainbows splintering around me. I stumbled, weakened by the excessive use of my power.

The Larkin brothers gripped my biceps on either side, steadying me. With a stern look of concentration, Marek’s dark flames scurried over his forearm and poured over Breena. His illusion created a barrier between her and the enraged beast. A shriek followed its veil as it flew up.

“Move!” Marek ordered, his shoulders slumping.

As if waking up, Breena shook her head, jerking away from the demon’s hold.

On her flesh, bloody stripes were left behind, her tunic torn where the reaper had grabbed her.

Baring her teeth, she swung and stabbed her dagger through Marek’s embered barrier and into the wraith’s robes for good measure.

It screeched once more, but her attack only infuriated it rather than harming it.

“Damn it. I told you stabbing them likely wouldn’t work,” Gavrel groused as we backed away.

“I fecking know, but it made me feel better.” She shrugged as Marek’s aura faltered. The flames inside her attacker’s eyeholes flared as my cousin’s illusion dissolved. When they locked on Breena, her bravado slipped a bit, and she darted in the opposite direction.

Boots slapping against the smooth surface, we all bolted as Melina’s cloying laughter chased us. We dodged reapers as their veils flew from their carcasses, skulls ablaze from within like pyres, their hisses scraping against our ears.

My halo flickered as Breena’s kindled. “No, Ryn. We need your ember to get us out of here.”

She, Marek, and Kaden, flung what power they could muster at oncoming reapers. It didn’t stop the monsters, but it made them pause, giving us precious seconds.

Nerves buzzed along my spine, my eyes darting as we ran. My thumb brushed against the cool tourmaline of my ring. There were only so many minutes to spare. I could give everyone else more.

I glanced at Gavrel to my right. Dark strands flopped over his forehead, some sticking, others bouncing as we moved. It made him look charming and youthful. He was going to be so pissed off. But it couldn’t be helped.

Narrowing his eyes as they met mine, dread already coated his irises as if he knew what I was about to do. I wondered what my tell was.

“I’ll meet you there,” I rasped. “Promise.” He shook his head, reaching for me, but I didn’t wait as my thumb ran across my ring. My eyes locked on the cleared space to our left.

His frantic shout evaporated as my body splintered and stretched, the ring burning into my flesh.

I concentrated on my destination as my physical and astral forms split and merged and twisted and churned through time and space.

Shattered, iridescent streaks followed me through the coiling path. I was a prism.

Nothing.

Everything.

Color, light, and time—all at once and not at all.

Seconds later, I stumbled from the burst of light, arms circling as I righted myself before I smashed into an unsuspecting trio of reapers. My heels dug into the stone as I backed away, glancing around. There, on my side, was another opening.

Again, I transported, missing globes and ghouls by a finger’s breadth. An exhale whooshed from me, and sweat stuck to my back as I retreated.

Melina called out my name tauntingly once more. Stiffening my frame, I clenched my fists. “If you want to chat. Come find me!” My shout reverberated and blended with her responding titter, closer now.

I zipped to another location, provoking her, calling her name. And another and another in short bursts. Only traveling to spaces that appeared to offer at least a partially safe landing.

“Now, now, pet.” A flash of white rushed at me and blew loosened curls back from my cheeks. “Enough games,” Melina hissed as she materialized in front of me.

I jerked away, my mouth contorting, my ember burning over my limbs. Her face slackened, lips parting slightly. I couldn’t tell if it was curiosity or fear.

Both.

I didn’t care.

“This time I agree, Melina. Enough games ,” I sneered, thrusting my glowing hands toward her, mustering a small orb of power between my palms, and slamming it into her chest. Stunned, she staggered back, nearly knocking over a reaper who turned slowly toward her, veil flowing upward.

In a blink, I whisked away from her, my ring’s ember carrying me. With each landing, I yelled for my friends. For Gavrel. At last, I heard my name—a fragile sound—and I followed it like a prayer answered, while Melina’s furious cry pursued me.

Light broke through the shadows just as my stamina was about to give out, and with a final push, I transported to them, hoping I didn’t meet any undead skeletons along the way. Gavrel’s arms locked around me, catching me before I toppled into the churning pool.

“Damn it, woman. It’s not right that I want to both kiss and slap you.” Breena grinned from the other side.

Gavrel released me, and I shook my head. “We don’t have time. Reprimand me later.”

His nostrils flared. In moments of frustration, Gavrel and his brother shared the same expression. Pinched and barely repressing the indignation bubbling under the surface. Ignoring them both, I breathed in, calming the frenetic energy still sizzling inside me as I stepped to the edge.

Without further comment, everyone formed a circle around the basin with me. The reapers stalked around us, an agitated halo of shadow and bone .

Marek and I glanced at each other. I knew he felt the tug within his stomach, as if the molten silver had hooked its claws into us, urging us to sink into the unknown.

Once more, the tourmaline prickled against my left forefinger. I held my hand up, studying it as all our auras and rune tattoos flared.

Surrelia , the deep baritone pushed into my mind.

My eyelids closed; a neon image of the Reverie Weald flashed behind them, and my ring seared my skin, but it barely registered.

I held my hands in front of me, allowing my power to flow over my limbs, bidding it to mingle with the ring’s energy and craft some sort of escape like they had in Hallowed End. Hoping I had enough. My eyes opened, and the mist from the pool swirled like a maelstrom, lifting above the silver.

“Come now,” Melina’s voice skittered over my back. It was less an echo. Closer. “My patience is wearing thin.”

My eyebrows scrunched as the liquescent metal pulled into the haze.

At my sides, I took Kaden and Gavrel’s hands. The others did the same, grabbing their neighbors until we formed a chain around the spinning mist.

I willed my gift to drink in everyone’s aura. Their bodies flinched, but their focus stayed true. Their energies pulsed through me, filtered and condensed until I pushed my palms forward. Not disconnecting, Gavrel and Kaden’s grips shifted, wrapping around my wrists.

I pushed my ember into the whirlwind. The silver within snapped angrily, spitting and clawing, trying to escape as it weaved together.

A chilled breeze ruffled my hair. Ice slithered up my spine.

“Enough!” Melina snarled behind me suddenly. My gaze snapped to the Elder as her hair settled around her shoulders, cape fluttering. The shadowy remnants of reapers dissolved on either side of her. Clearly, her ember wasn’t as weakened as ours.

I’d let her know when it was enough .

Her aura slithered around her, and I whipped my attention back, imagining the vibrant hues of the Reverie Weald, pulse threatening to smash out of my veins .

Her claws sank into my shoulder, black smoke coiling around my jaw. Acid and rage boiled in my stomach, the touch of her ember and skin enraging me.

With a furious scream, I ripped my wrist from Gavrel’s hold and raked my nails over her flesh. Shrieking and yanking her hand away, the ring on her thumb gave way. Gavrel’s fingers locked around my wrist once more while I clutched the carved tourmaline in my palm.

“Jump!” I roared.

With Gavrel and Kaden’s holds tightening, we all leaped into the twisting portal. The whirlwind following us upward, fizzling as Melina’s screams and billowing darkness scratched uselessly at the vanishing wisps behind us.