Page 94 of From Frost to Flame

Lex took Vega’s hands and held them tight. “Please! I’m begging. I know, as his Beta, you need him, too. Help me do this so we can all have him back.”

“For star’s sake,” Vega groaned, pulled his hands away, and doled out rapid-fire orders. “Castor, take Lex in as close as you can. If Silas gets too violent, pull him out. You two,” he said, nodding at Julian and Mora. “You’re with me. Your elemental powers will be useful. We keep the tentacles and fae off them at all costs. I’m going to get a firmer hold on Silas so he can’t rip you to shreds. You don’t get too close until then.”

“How will I know when that is?” Lex asked, confused.

“You will.” He barked orders to the rest of the pack as Julian and Mora followed him. “Ricci and Aurelian, you get eyes on tentacles three and four. Delphi, Ovid, Nikko, try to get a vantage point. If you get the chance to lasso him up, take it.”

“Come on, then.” Castor shifted and Lex climbed onto his back. The moment he was mounted, they darted straight for Silas.

Wind and lightning cleared their path of possessed fae. They raced through the rubble and the bodies of their fallen fae and wolves. Rain and dust flew into Lex’s face. Lex’s heart pounded in his chest as Castor barked for the other warriors to clear a path.

“Silas, if you can hear me, hold on. I’m coming.”

Guided by The Ravenous One’s hand, Silas stopped his destruction and turned all his attention onto Castor and Lex. His tentacles stilled and posed like vipers homed in on their prey. His head lowered and he let out a low, predatory growl.

“Oh, I’m going to enjoy this,” The Ravenous One cooed to Castor from the gates. “You were supposed to protect him. Instead, you let him fall for that bloodsucker. You let him stray from his path. You always were a waste of space.”

Castor slid to a stop and lowered his ears. An angry growl slipped through his teeth.

The sound of metal slicing through the air rang out, and then Silas roared. A harpoon shot through his back and now protruded from his chest.

Lex’s eyes widened as he followed the rope tied to the end up to the rooftops where Vega stood, the end of the rope locked in the teeth of his wolf. Castor sprinted onward.

Lex looked down at Castor.I need to get as close as possible, but I won’t risk his brother for this. Silas wouldn’t want that. “You can tell Vega this was my idea.”

He heaved himself off Castor’s back, rolling as he crashed to the ground. He got to his feet and sprinted straight for Silas.

Silas charged him as if he were nothing but prey.

Castor barked angrily behind him, but Lex didn’t stop. His sprained ankle throbbed, and every muscle screamed from the draining compass. Still, he pushed on and chased down the frayed thread of their connection.

Silas swiped at Lex with a massive paw, and his breath was knocked from his chest. The force of the blow sent him skidding like a rag doll. His knees, face, and elbows scraped across the damp stone streets as he tumbled to a stop. He gasped out in pain as he tried to breathe and felt the prick of his own broken ribs. Before he could even get to his feet, Silas lunged for him again.

Vega yanked on the harpoon and Silas's snarling jaws just missed Lex’s crumpled body. The Ravenous One’s satisfied cackle rang out on the wind.

Memories of Michael swinging the shovel flickered in his mind as he got to his feet and marched straight toward Silas.

No. You’re not like him. This isn’t you. I won’t believe this is you.

Silas lunged and bit down on Lex’s right arm. The compass burned from behind his black teeth.

The harpoon pulled hard as wind howled and electricity crackled. Everyone tried to pull him off Lex. It was useless. Silas's jaw was locked on.

Waves of excruciating pain washed away any lingering doubts of his humanity. Still, Lex did his best to strangle his anguished screams. He looked at Silas's eyes, now endless pools of starless night, and searched their depths.

I know you’re in there. I know she didn’t erase you because I still want to live. I still want to fight for you.

He pressed his face into Silas's frigid fur and held tight with his one good hand. “You promised,” he said through gritted teeth as he squeezed his eyes shut. “You promised to come back to me.”

Silence.

All the noise of the battlefield was sucked away, as if someone had switched it off. He opened his eyes and was standing alone in a pool of sticky ink. His injuries were gone. He took timid steps into the infinite darkness. The ground rippled under his feet.

What is this?

He searched for that pull in his chest. It was so faint that he wasn’t sure of its direction. It was everywhere and nowhere. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as despair tightened in his throat.

Then, his wrist burned and illuminated the surrounding space. The compass’s glowing pointed steadily ahead.

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