Page 136 of Soulbound

And then she drove the Blade of Altarrh into Drake's chest.

The enormous six-pointed star of power flowed through Bishop, through the Blade, and smashed into Drake.

It felt like every last drop of energy was being wrung from him. Sebastian curled his hands into fists, wavering on his feet. He could see blood dripping from Lucien’s nose, from Verity’s. Cleo’s face had drained of color, and her hair rippled around her face as all that power consumed her.

The hexagram exploded outwards, and Sebastian was lifted off his feet, his back and head slamming into the wall behind him.

Chapter 31

THE CARNAGE WAS immense.

Sebastian rolled to his feet, his ears ringing and his vision wavering. Smoke billowed nearby; the corner of the manor had caught on fire during the explosion. Every glass window had blown out, flames licking at the window casings, and the black spray of ichor drenched the snow where dozens of imps had been obliterated.

He caught glimpses of it all; Lucien sitting with his head cradled in his hands, and Ianthe kneeling at his side to check on him; Drake cupping Eleanor’s face in his hands as he tried to help her to stand; Cleo standing shakily, her black dress ripped and torn, and half her hair singed to her shoulders; and Bishop flat on his back, with Verity crouched over him.

"Are you all right?" Sebastian reached out to help Cleo to her feet.

"All right?" she looked around her in shock, one bedraggled crow feather melted into her hair.

No one had escaped unscathed, but he felt a buoyant surge of hope through the bond. Cleo's eyes shone with tears, and she'd never looked more beautiful. "I've never seen this far into the future. All my Visions stopped at London's doom."

But the evening skies were clearing, and there was no sign of the Gates to the Shadow Dimensions. And she was back. Back. He'd never take her presence for granted ever again.

"You came for me," she said, meeting his eyes.

"Always." Cleo threw her arms around his neck, and he dragged her into a hug. "I will always come for you."

Tears of happiness gleamed in her eyes, "We did it. The odds seemed so impossible at the time, and I was trapped in the dark for so long...." A shudder went through her. "But we're here now, and there's a whole future ahead of us."

"Help me," a voice begged, and the pair of them broke apart as reality began to intrude. They hadn't checked on everybody yet. Not everybody was guaranteed a future.

Sebastian found his brother in the snow, still unmoving. "Bishop."

"Someone help me! He’s starting to fade." Verity stroked her husband's face, her expression stricken.

Drake crouched by Bishop’s side. He pressed his fingertips to Bishop’s chest, but it wasn’t moving. "The fool…. He’s drained himself dry." He looked up. "Ianthe?"

Ianthe staggered as she made her way toward them, her skirts ripped and her hair a mess. "I don't know how much I have left in me."

There was blood dripping from Lucien's nose, and he shook his head darkly. Nothing left in him either... indeed, it was a miracle he was still on his feet.

"Here, let me." And Sebastian knelt at his brother’s side, and cupped Bishop's slack face in both hands. "I have more energy left in me than most."

His power had always been half curse, half promise. It had turned his mother from his side—but no, that was her bad luck, not his. Now it flooded through him from some deep well, and he reached out to hold Verity's hand so he could help her save his brother.

Or try to.

For the emptiness within his brother was dark and hungry. No matter how much energy he poured through their link, he could barely fill it.

"Come on, you stubborn bastard," Sebastian muttered beneath his breath. There was some sort of gaping hole in Bishop's aura, as if he'd burned some part of himself out.

"Come on," Verity whispered. "He was holding all that power. I felt it drag him under when he let the spell go."

Bishop suddenly sucked in a deep breath, startling them all. He grabbed Sebastian's wrist, and then relaxed back down when he saw whom it was. "What the hell—?"

Sebastian subsided, feeling empty and raw. "You're welcome."

"Thank you," Verity cried, and threw herself into her husband's arms.