Page 64 of Mastering Mayhem

“She refused to leave until you were safe.” He dropped a lifeless soldier onto the ground. “My cousin Havoc is keeping the demons at bay across the rift, but he can’t hold them forever.”

“Go now.” I threw my arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. “Lay your eggs in peace.”

I walked with her to the mausoleum and stood outside the doorway, careful not to get too close to the rift, lest I try to pull Mayhem through again. As she lifted a paw to step through, she turned to me, thanking me again.

“Thankyou.” I pressed my palms together, my chest squeezing as she disappeared into the Underworld. “She said we can call her if we ever need her again.”

“A noble beast, indeed.” Mayhem waved a hand, sealing the rift he’d created.

I turned toward the cemetery and took in the aftermath. The remaining fae scurried through the rift their prince had created, but without his power, they couldn’t seal it. Or maybe they could have, but they preferred to hightail it home and beg the king for forgiveness. Either way, it left the job to Ash and me.

Adrian’s coven had long since retreated, leaving him alone with us. Ash picked up the amulet, and he lunged, his eyes still wild with affliction.

Chaos caught him by the throat. “Are you sure I can’t kill him?”

Ash blinked, looking at him briefly before returning her attention to the amulet lying in her palm. “Yeah, that’s fine. Do whatever.”

“Chaos, don’t,” I shouted as Adrian summoned his witch wind, creating a funnel around himself. “Let him go.”

Chaos scoffed. “Ash told me I?—”

“Ash isn’t herself.” Mayhem crept toward her. “Perhaps I should hold onto that.”

She clenched her fist around the pendant. “The hell you should.”

Chaos released his hold, and Adrian’s tornado whisked him away. Ten minutes in contact with the amulet, and he could already fly. What would it do to my sister?

“Ash, give it to Mayhem.” I cautiously walked toward her. “Remember what that one small piece did to Chrys? I won’t let that happen to you.”

Her nostrils flared, her jaw clenching. “He’s been trying to get his hands on this since we summoned him. No. No way.”

Her sigil glowed, Chaos sending his calming energy into her. “Allow me to hold it, little witch. I’ll keep you, and it, safe.”

She tilted her head at her demon. “My powers have been bound my entire life. I deserve a little boost.”

“Indeed you do, my love. But not with a fractured piece. It will damage your mind.” He held his hand toward her.

“You need to get it,” I whispered to Mayhem. “You’re the only one I trust.”

He moved so quickly, I nearly missed it. I would have if I’d blinked. He shot out an arm, gripping her wrist and yanking the amulet from her grasp before she realized what was happening.

She gasped and stiffened, her lower lip trembling for a moment before her posture slumped. “That was…”

“Lord of theRings intense?” I asked.

“Yeah.” She heaved in another breath. “Thanks for taking it.”

Mayhem held the chain between two fingers, letting the pendant dangle in front of him. “We should take this home before anyone else tries to intercept it.”

“Yeah.” She rubbed her palms on her pants. “What about the mess?”

Leave it to my sister to worry about a mess when we had a world to save. Then again, leaving a fae rift open and bodies of overgrown insects littering the ground wasn’t a good idea either.

“Guys, gather the fae parts and shove them through the rift. Ash and I will cremate the witches and pick up the griffin’s blankets.”

Ash applied a salve and bandages to my wounds before we worked together, cleaning up the evidence. My sister and I sealed the rift, and we carried everything to the van. Chaos drove, giving me a chance to recharge in the back seat with Mayhem.

“How are your injuries?” he asked, stroking my hair as I lay in his lap.

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