Page 69 of Samhain Savior

Helena’s words cut off with a sickening gurgle. Archer’s spread wings blocked most of my view, but I was able to see Helena’s feet dangling off the ground, kicking frantically as she choked on her final breath.

“Belial will never touch her.” Archer’s words rang out across the barren landscape like an oath, and something within me preened.

When it was over, and Helena had fallen still and quiet, Archer huffed out a growl and tossed her body to the side. I grimaced as I watched her limp, bloody corpse land in a pile like a puppet with its strings cut.

I tried to feel sympathy. I tried to feel disgusted by Archer’s actions, but all I could manage was gratitude. Helena had been a true threat, and Archer had stepped in front of her and protected me.

Again.

Archer turned, his wings tucking behind him like a cloak, and faced me. His face was contorted into an angry scowl, his chest heaving as through he’d just run a mile. In one hand he held the raw meat of Helena’s still-beating heart.

“You killed her.”

“No one tells me what to do in my own fucking realm.” Glancing at the bloody pulp in his hand, Archer shrugged, tossing the heart over his shoulder casually without a second glance. “And no one threatens what’s mine.”

He stared at me, like he was waiting for me to respond or freak out or something, but all I could do was nod.

Because his words rang true down to my very soul.

My response appeared to satisfy him because Archer turned and strode to Helena’s body, crouching down and cleaning his hands on her clothes, then stood with a decisive nod.

“Alright, witch. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Then, like I’d seen him do several times before, Archer swept one arm wide in preparation to make a shadow gate.

Only, this time, nothing happened.

He frowned, head tilting to one side in consternation, before he arced his arm up again, the movement swift and sharp.

“Fuck.” he muttered to himself, moving his arm a third time. When it still didn’t work, Archer took another look around, his eyes widening in realization. “Fuck!”

“What’s wrong? Where’s the gate?”

He grunted, his shoulders rounding as he shook off his agitation, then ground out, “It’s not working.”

“What’s not working?” My voice rose with my growing panic. “Your magic? But you brought us here!”

Subconsciously, I reached for the pouch, needing Pandora’s comforting presence, but all I found were the ragged remains of shredded canvas hanging from my chest. Fingers shaking, I removed the ruined pouch and tossed it next to Helena’s body, hoping with all my heart that Pandora was safe back in Boston, and that we’d be together again soon.

“I didn’t, actually,” Archer replied, his expression full of a strange kind of yearning. “I haven’t been able to access Hell in over twenty-five years.”

“You’re joking,” I stated, even though it was clear that he wasn’t. That information was more than a little shocking. As a member of the Demon Nobility, Archer should have been able to come and go from Hell as he pleased. If what he was saying was true, it could only mean something terrible had happened in the reigning hierarchy among Hell’s denizens.

Power shifts were never good, especially if they shifted closer to chaos.

“If you weren’t the one who brought us, then how did we get here?” Archer said nothing, just looked at me pointedly.

“Me?” I shook my head, my denial instant. “No way. Impossible. I don’t have any magic.”

But was that still true? Even as I said the words, I could feel it, pulsing within me, larger and more animated than anything I had ever felt.

It had started the moment Archer had placed the collar around my neck, I’d just been to distracted with all that had been happening to really understand what it meant.

But even though I was shaking my head, I knew what Archer was saying was true.

I finally had magic.

“Deny it all you want, little witch, but the fact remains that I was not responsible for our journey here. We know it wasn’ther.” He sneered toward Helena’s mangled corpse. “So that leaves only one other option.” Archer turned back to me, his dark, fathomless eyes serious. “You.”