Page 325 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Jinx stared blankly back at them.

Her body was frozen like she was being immobilized by the force of whatever they were doing.

Malum transferred the knife into his right hand and pulled back his arm.

None of the shifters moved to help her. No one did anything. For some reason, I was the only one who was aware of what was happening.

I backed up on my post.

About thirty feet of air separated me from Jinx.

I didn’t care what she’d done to me.

They didn’t get to take her away, not while I still breathed.

Before Malum could throw the dagger, I sprinted and threw my legs forward. Midjump I kicked backward to propel myself ahead. For long seconds, I hung suspended.

There was nothing but air beneath me.

As I traveled, my momentum took me slightly left of Jinx.

I reached out my fingertips. They tangled around shirt material.

With all my strength, I flexed my arms and ripped Jinx off the post at the same time Malum flung his dagger.

In slow motion, the impossibly sharp point grazed a lock of her long black hair. That was all it hit.

The blade missed her.

I didn’t have time to celebrate.

I was free-falling with a child in my arms, and we had no way to stop.

I wrapped myself around her small body and turned so I would fall onto my back, but I knew in my gut it wasn’t enough.

It didn’t matter what type of creature Jinx was. All adolescents were more vulnerable until they turned eighteen.

Sun god, I wouldn’t have survived this drop a few weeks ago if it weren’t for my queendom and the tattoo on my hip. Only an extremely powerful creature, like an adult shifter, devil, or demon, could survive such a fall.

My talons dug into her skin as I clutched her desperately.

We were rapidly approaching the ground.

Free-falling.

Toward her death.

It didn’t matter what irredeemable atrocity she’d committed against us. She was the little sister I’d never had.

That meant something.

It wasn’t my job to judge her; it was my job to love her. Period.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I did something I’d stopped doing after the first time Mother had lit me on fire. I prayed.

Please, sun god, allow Jinx to live. Take my life instead. She’s too young. Please. I’ll do anything. I don’t care what she’s done.

Wind whipped our hair in a frenzy as we plummeted.

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