Page 90 of Two Who Live On

“Release me.” The succubus’ talons retreated, and a rose-colored fog filled the air, something only I could see because I was already trapped by the compulsion.

I clenched my jaw, unable to speak and warn Ellie that once the succubus’ talons had vanished, her compulsion would control a witch.

“Otherwise, I risk overdoing it.” Ellie released her grip on the succubus. “Unlock.”

The succubus’ body shattered into hundreds of pieces varying in size and shape, barely held together by the sticky tar of her insides. Shimmers of tiny bubbles within the succubus exploded, shattering her broken body into thousands of glowing wisps. Tar lapped up the wispy energy, resisting the regression of becoming a fiend once more. The succubus wailed, furious and broken.

Lena strutted forward, confident yet grateful for Ellie’s intervention. It’d have taken thousands more of those bubble burst strikes to truly break the demon apart from the inside.

The acolytes held hands, interlocking their fingers and channeling banishment in tandem. In an instant, the wisps holding together the last fragments of the succubus’ consciousness vanished, thrown back to a demon plain of existence.

“I’ll be back. I’ll slaughter you garbage witches for this. Just wait. Wait until…” The demon’s mind ceased, her existence lost unless the chimera resurrected her as expected.

Both acolytes fell to their knees, hands still entwined. Threads of gold and indigo blossomed as my thoughts became my own again. Far beyond my reach, Milo’s mind synced to mine once again, revealing pieces to the countless potentials these two women had with each other. I couldn’t see the futures Milo had, but their futures were solidified now that the demon had died. Lena and Ellie had something special, even if they didn’t realize it yet.

I channeled magic, flying after Milo.

“Wait,” Ellie shouted.

“You’re supposed to stay here,” Lena explained.

They were too exhausted to follow or stop me, and I couldn’t wait idly on a future which might result in losing Milo.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

I flew through the streets, weaving past fraught thoughts from people who I had to believe would be fine. Minds throughout Chicago buzzed at the horror of demons released everywhere and attacking everyone. Milo had thoroughly readied for this day. This event. This attack on the devil and his demons. What I didn’t know, what consumed me as I sped faster, was if he’d survive this. Linking my telepathy to Milo strained my roots because his chaotic thoughts cycled too quickly to fathom. I needed more insight on where he was, where he was going, and what he had planned.

“He’s got a few enchanters hounding my demons, but this mortal can’t possibly believe he can face me on his own. Even Enchanter Evergreen can’t be that arrogant.”

I buried the chimera’s seething hatred and sought Milo’s mind. Dread. Rage. Desperation. Each cycled from every zigging direction, so I amplified my telepathy, quelling everyone else out.

…

…

…

Milo panted, struggling to dodge an onslaught from dozens of branches cast in tandem. Blurred images of explosive fire, whipping shadows, conjured elementals, phantom hounds, and branches I’d never seen before all lunged at Enchanter Evergreen. Each one created a frenzy in Milo’s mind.This was more erratic and barbaric and methodic than any of his other battles, making it impossible to latch on and maintain the link. I needed to reach him.

Moving on instinct, I chased him. The same instinct that guided his counters and evasion during his pursuit of the chimera devil possessing Jamie Novak. Snippets of Milo’s composed thoughts escaped, creating something concrete to follow. Wrapping my telepathy around the knowledge he had for the branches aimed at him helped paint the street where he targeted the devil.

State Street

He’d gotten so far in only a few minutes.

Milo’s battle ripped the road apart, unleashing tremendous amounts of telekinetic bursts. Each missed the chimera who shattered windows to buildings barely weathering the assault of countless branch magics.

I wheezed, struggling to reach them. Wind whipped at my face, forcing me to squint. In truth, I followed the sight Milo’s thoughts provided then they vanished behind a veil of visions as he likely sorted the probability of each attack.

The terrain became foggy, so I lessened my link, following a trail of destruction. Remnants of the chimera’s casting lingered on empty streets. Had the people fled? No. There wasn’t a single destroyed vehicle. Not one nearby thought. Milo had evacuated this path. He’dcleared it, had it cleared, in anticipation of the carnage they’d unleash in the midst of hundreds of demons attacking.

“The only thing that’ll end this is a perfect banishment precisely timed by…” Milo’s thoughts disappeared into his damn clairvoyance.

I dropped onto the street, gathering my strength. He wouldn’t… This perfect banishment wouldn’t involve the only person either of us had ever seen cast a perfect branch. My heart thumped, dreading the way Milo planned a hundred moves ahead with countless contingencies. Did he work to save Caleb because he needed him drawn into this battle? No. Demons eluded his psychic branch. He wasn’t aware of their reality, their potential, until they’d snuck up on him. Still, I needed to know my students were safe. Milo had said as much, but he’d also said this would be fine knowing the danger he threw himself into.

I stretched my telepathy well beyond its limitations. Zigging and zagging around thoughts ranging from frightened, confused, panicked, aloof, carefree, bewildered, enraged, deathly, and a million others in between. Searching for the one person who could answer my question, I pushed ahead.

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