Sasha blushed. “I love you, too.”
Dagan kissed her temple. “You will stop if you feel any pain or if you start losing control of it.”
“Okay.”
“No, baby. I need to hear you say it.”
She grouched, “You’re so bossy.”
“You love it. Now, say the words.”
“I will stop if I feel any pain or start losing control.”
“Very well. Tell me what you need.”
Placing her hands on the orb, she took a long, cleansing breath. “I don’t know how I know this, but I think the orb doesn’t have enough power to initiate this type of Yielding.”
“What do you mean?”
“They are not conscious of their actions, so the orb must work in reverse; it must bridge the gap––reach into the unconscious mind. This takes more energy. I need you to remove another bracelet, and keep removing them, until the sword activates properly.”
Carefully, Dagan released a bracelet. Then another and another.
Sasha’s eyes began to glow with an eerie blue light.
Suddenly, inside the orb, a small circular region at the top began to spark and glow. A bolt of lightning flashed down, lighting the interior. Electricity snaked its way down, almost like it was searching, seeking a specific target, until the current connected to the sword. Thunder cracked, shaking the orb, its deafening sound no more than a low rumble to those on the outside.
Suddenly, the ancient runes etched down the center of Bren’s sword lit with blue fire. An arc of lightning flashed out from the pommel and connected to Ashlyn. Her body jerked. Convulsed. She gasped. The current split into three, then more, until she was held within the grip of what looked eerily like an electrical hand.
Zade was next. Again, lightning arced from the sword and struck Zade in the heart. His body arched like a taut bow, every muscle rigid, fighting against the current wrapping itself around his large frame.
As if drawn up by an unseen force, their bodies rose into the air. As they floated, the electricity wove back and forth between them, drawing them closer together until they were each held within one half of an infinity loop.
Zade’s hearthammered in his chest. What was happening? He was running toward the Dark One. Tears streamed down his face. He couldn’t stop running. The Dark One was going to kill him. He couldn’t stop. Terror choked off his scream. He couldn’t breathe. He was going to die, and he hadn’t told Zade how much he loved him.
The Dark One drew back its clawed hand, its pleasure at the coming slaughter a palpable force. Zade screamed. He couldn’t stop screaming.
Tears streamed down his face as he continued to run. Too slow. Why was he running so slowly?
Was he in some sort of bizarre, dream-like trance? He forced himself to look down. His legs were pumping as fast as they could. Small, muscular legs. Human legs. Female.
From across the arena, he watched a ghost of himself shout, “Ashlyn! No!”
Disoriented, confused, he continued to run toward the Dark One, panic clawing at his chest.
Terror unlike anything he’d ever experienced before flooded his system as he watched himself, almost in slow motion, sprint toward the creature.No! No! Zade, no! I can’t stop! Oh god. Zade!
Zade watched as the ghost of himself leaped in front of the Dark One, blocking the way, just as the Dark One slashed its razor sharp, clawed hand down, ripping into ghost Zade’s side. His ghost self collapsed to the ground, covered in blood.
Zade screamed, his heart full of horror. Crushing pain tore through his soul. "Zade, no!" he sobbed. He fell to his kneesbeside ghost Zade, panicked, as he watched the light in ghost Zade’s eyes fade.
"Zade, no!" he cried out again. He pressed his hands into ghost Zade’s wounds, desperate. Terrified. He was going to lose him. He loved him so much! His hands trembled as he pressed them to ghost Zade’s wounds, his fingers slick with blood.
Ghost Zade opened his eyes. "Shenga," he whispered, his voice weak.
Zade’s heart shattered, fear and desperation clawing at him. “I love you, Zade,” he choked out, tears streaming down his face, blurring his vision. The truth of his words flooded him like a tidal wave. Pure. Deep. True. Unconditional love. All of him. Forever.
And he was slipping away.