Page 65 of The Heart of Moonlight Falls

Sebastian smiled, his dimples brightening his face. “Whoever thinks blood-and-bone rituals have to be serious clearly hasn’t met us.”

“Which is a good thing. We’d probably get a lecture.”

Sebastian opened Selma’s room and ducked in to grab the Nelson-doll from her dressing table. James was glad Sebastian didn’t seem affected by returning to this part of Storm House. He’d conquered that fear.

They hurried to the study, James lighting an oil lamp along the way. The jar of teeth was on the shelf where they’d left it, and when he grabbed it this time, he didn’t scream.

“Never thought I’d be glad to see these.” The yellowing label baring N. Storm and S. Storm gave James a sense of relief.

“I never thought I’d be glad my predecessors didn’t clean out the house. Imagine if the jar had been thrown away.”

James grimaced. “I’d rather not.”

“No.” Sebastian pulled him toward the door. “Let’s go.”

If they could have run to the clearing, they would have. At this point, James was glad they were both still upright and moving. He didn’t think he had much magic left in him, and Sebastian had to be running purely off adrenaline.

He couldn’t wait to lie down, sleep, and wake up to the rest of his life with this amazing man.

They made it across the property to find the clearing as they’d left it.

Sebastian paused next to the fuel cell Hazel and Parker had brought out earlier that night. “Are we sure this doesn’t have to go in as well?”

“I don’t think it does.” James considered the fuel cell. “And not just because I’d like to take it back to Gray Electrical when this is over.”

Sebastian raised his brows.

“This fuel cell was connected by transferring the curse from Hazel, who was trapped by the secret. None of us trapped from learning about the veins have the true connection to them that you and your relatives do.”

Sebastian nodded, seeming satisfied. “Thank goodness for that. Imagine if we had to cut fingers off everyone stuck here. I really wouldn’t be popular.” He turned his back on the fuel cell and approached the hole.

James joined him.

Sebastian’s tired eyes found James in the dim light of the oil lamp. “Together?”

“Together,” James agreed, and they tossed the items into the black abyss.

The doll and jar of teeth disappeared from sight as they tumbled into the darkness. James grabbed Sebastian’s hand, not tearing his eyes away.

Bright light flared, almost blinding James. He shielded his face, holding Sebastian tight as the light shot up into the sky, illuminating the forest. For a split second, it was bright as day, then they were plunged back into darkness.

Sebastian gasped and crumpled against James.

“Sweetheart?” James clutched Sebastian, swiping Sebastian’s messy hair from his face to find his eyes closed. “What’s wrong?”

Sebastian groaned. “I felt it.” He gripped James’s arm to steady himself, only to wince in pain at using his injured hand. “It was like something was just pulled out of my core.”

“Like your connection to the veins was severed?”

Sebastian glanced at James, suddenly alert. “Just like that.” He looked down at their feet, James following suit, finding the hole completely gone. It looked like it had never been there.

“I think we did it,” Sebastian whispered.

“We did.” James squeezed him and kissed his tangled curls. “You did it!”

“Can we lie down now?” Sebastian slumped limply against James once more, his voice weakening. “You’re the only thing holding me up, and I think it’s gonna be a while before I can manage it on my own.”

“We need to get you to the hospital.” James summoned the last of his strength—something he didn’t think he possessed after the night he’d had, but he would pretend and hope that was enough—and hoisted Sebastian into his arms. Putting one foot carefully in front of the other, James walked through the woods for what was hopefully the last time.

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