Page 73 of Fate and Fury

Before Katerina could cut the bond that tied her to her Shadow, the very earth convulsed, ripping Niko from her arms. The murmur of the Void rose in a cacophony of clamoring voices; the air buzzed with the discordant power of it. Katerina forced her eyes open as silver-blue lightning flashed, splitting one of the huge oaks that guarded the clearing and catching it aflame. By the lightning’s unearthly gleam, she could see its source: Elena, body curving backward in her demon’s arms. Darkness and bolts of hellfire poured from her, merging with the night. The demon wailed, an awful sound of metal-on-metal, as the hellfire blazed again, silver-blue tongues of flames gobbling the trees and snaking toward where Niko lay. Clots of dirt flew through the air, hurtling into the Void. Elena was screaming, her demon was screaming, the Void was screaming?—

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, everything fell silent—but for an awful, triumphant voice that issued from everywhere and nowhere:Hail, Elena of the Void.

On her hands and knees, wiping dirt and ash from her face, Katerina crawled to where Niko lay. He was motionless, face and body awash in blood, his open eyes reflecting the gleam ofthe night sky. She gathered him into her arms, brushed his hair from his face, pleaded with him to stay with her, but it made no difference.

She knew it from the hole in her heart where he should be, from the emptiness in her mind where she’d become accustomed to hearing his voice. From the ripped-apart feel of their bond, sheared fibers sparking in a hopeless attempt at reconnection. But she pressed her fingers to his neck nonetheless, praying to feel the thud of his pulse, however faint. More than anything, she wanted him not to have died alone.

It was too late for her to give him the end she’d wanted for him, the end he deserved—cradled in her lap, her lips against his as he breathed his last. Too late for so many things.

Her Shadow was gone.

44

ELENA

Elena was herself, still—but she was more than that. She was Elena-of-the-Void, beloved of Sammael. She was something that had never existed before in all the history of the world.

Black edges hemmed her vision as she stood, watching Katerina clutch Niko’s lifeless body close. The Dimi shook all over, a tremor so consuming that the pool of river water in which she sat flowed in waves uphill toward the border of the clearing, defying the laws of gravity.

The rowan-fires had gone out, as had the silver-blue flames that had consumed Niko. But the flames ignited by Elena’s lightning still smoldered in the trees, illuminating the doorway to the Void. It gaped, swirling with Darkness, but it no longer lured her onward. The bond with Sammael had worked—but at what cost?

Niko was gone. Dead. And it was Katerina’s fault. She was the one for whom Elena had intended the knife. Out of bravery and misguided loyalty, Niko had stepped into the path of the blade. Katerina’s hubris, her spellcraft, had taken more than Niko’s fidelity and his honor—it had taken his life.

The unfairness of it filled Elena, spearing her chest as if the blade in Niko’s heart had pierced hers as well. Why couldn’t Katerina be the one whose life was over? Why should Niko pay the price?

She would not let him go, not like this. She would keep him with her, in whatever form. He would be hers, at last, and he would be grateful for it. If anyone could accomplish such a feat, it was she. Taking Sammael’s hand in hers, Elena stepped forward, into the clearing.

“What have you done?” It was Gadreel’s voice, grating with accusation. His fingers dug into Sammael’s wrist, holding the other demon still. “Your foolish habit of rescuing damsels in distress has reached new heights. It wasn’t enough to share your power with an unworthy vessel such as this.” He flicked his fingers at Elena in disgust. “Now you’ve bonded with an unhinged lunatic for eternity and fed the Darkness into the bargain.” Pointing into the depths of the Void, he snapped, “Why do you thinkthatdidn’t vanish when you altered the terms of her curse? How do you imagine this will end? You are a fool, Sammael.”

Elena turned on Gadreel, hissing. Dropping Sammael’s hand, she ran for Niko—but Gadreel followed. He lunged for Katerina, who sent him stumbling backward with a gust of wind.

“Don’t you touch me.” The Dimi’s eyes gleamed with grief and rage. “Don’t you touch him!”

A sob caught in Elena’s throat as she saw what Katerina’s arrogance had done to her Shadow. His skin was as white as the face of the Bone Moon, his wrists and ankles marred by the flames. His beautiful clothes—theirweddingclothes—were torn and drenched with blood.

It wasn’t too late. She could feel him here, guarding Katerina in death as he had in life. Even with their bond severed and his body limp as a rag doll’s, Katerina’s spell held firm.

Elena could still save him. She could set him free of the Dimi’s web, and keep him by her own side as he was meant to be.

Teeth gritted, she dropped to the earth beside him. Katerina was speaking, muttering curses and incantations, but Elena ignored her.Sammael,she said, and felt the demon stir in her mind.Tell me what to do.

This is Dark magic indeed.His voice was hesitant.Death magic. If I help you, Elena, I cannot say the results will be what you dream of.

Elena sent a bolt of impatience down their bond.His soul lingers, I can feel it. Help me before it’s too late.

She felt him yield as the knowledge rippled through the cord that bound his mind to hers and the words rose to her lips. “With Darkness I bind you. With your sacrifice I bind you. With the dirt of your grave I bind you.” She dug her fingers into a handful of the loam beneath his body, seeded with blood. “With my will I bind you, Niko Alekhin. May you rise, and rest no more.”

As the words left her lips, Niko’s form flickered into existence, a transparent figure with his hand resting on Katerina’s shoulder. His eyes were huge and solemn, the accusation in them clear. He looked beyond her, at Sammael and Gadreel, into the Void—then back at his Dimi, whose arms were wrapped tight around the shell of his body. His mouth moved, saying Katerina’s name, but it was useless; she couldn’t hear.

Quick as it had been in life, the Change took him. One moment he was the ghost of a man; then he was the shade of a black dog, moving quick and soundless into the forest. He vanished between the trees, a Shadow amongst shadows.

It was done.

45

KATERINA

“No!” Katerina’s cry filled the air, resounding through the woods. Clouds gathered in the night sky, the trees bending before her will as the wind began to rise.

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