Page 12 of A Lost Light

“Well?” Dyre said impatiently, one blood red brow lifted. “Are we going to stand around here all day being sappy, or are we going to go outside and see what an angel can do?”

Elijah sighed, but he did finally nod agreement.

Dyre looked strangely proud. The dynamic between these two was decidedly… weird these days.

“Side courtyard,” Aahil said, as if he was in charge. “Less chance of fae hurling pointy sticks our way.” Then he dematerialized. Probably off to the courtyard.

Hasumi smiled softly at Elijah and disappeared as well.

The rest of us made our way out there by walking, like the losers we were. Some days I really wished I could teleport.

Chapter 7

Dyre

Ihad long ago become resigned to the terrible and interesting things my magic could do. Before I was forced into the bond with Sunshine, I was a blood witch by birth. My family made me hone my magic toward the most dangerous and horrifying uses, though I tried to resist as much as I could.

And once I became a necromancer, well, the first decade or so was dicey. Sometimes Sunny would get fed up with my mortal sensibilities and test the boundaries of our fragile truce in order to feed. Sometimes our combined power would get away from me and I'd raise the dead without meaning to—usually in the most inconvenient situations. And sometimes… sometimes my rage and despair would get the best of me, and I'd use our power out of bitterness and spite, for no other reason than to frighten or cow those who would scorn or hunt me.

But I had never made a revenant before.

Yes, I knew it was technicallypossible. I had read rare, ancient accounts of such things. And I had always been fairly certain I had enough talent to do it. But why bother? Even in my morespiteful moments, it never occurred to me to cram a living soul into a corpse.

I had always been more intent on creating mindless horrors that would follow my commands unthinkingly. Who wanted a slave with opinions andneeds?

You were never that pragmatic, nor that callous,Sunshine popped up, interrupting my thoughts.Even when they are nothing but empty, shuffling skin and bones, some part of you still hates what we can do. And you were especially repulsed by the power my presence offered back then. Don't pretend otherwise.

I huffed quietly to myself. He was right, of course.

But sometimes… sometimes I was able to look at things with a less emotional point of view and actually enjoy what we could do.

And now we had an actual reason to be proud of ourselves. Others might judge us or call what we had done an abomination or a violation of nature. But where did our power come from, exactly, if not from nature? Wasn't death and the power that flowed through our veins just as natural as any other magic? Niamh, for example, could force flowers to bloom and plants to burn through their life cycle on a whim. Wasn't that just as unnatural?

I wasn't going to feel bad about this new creation.

Elijah turned to me as we reached the courtyard, seeking me out unerringly, turning toward me without needing to look to verify where I stood. I rolled my shoulders back imperceptibly. I didn't know if he had noticed it yet, how closely we were bonded now. I could sense him without trying as well, always aware of that fine thread of power that linked me to the newly alive angel.

He was mine. Technically, I could pull that string. I could use it to dominate him and make him do my bidding. I wasn't certain he understood all the ramifications of being a necromancer'screation. But I hesitated to bring it up. I would never use our bond the way another necromancer might. And… I enjoyed having someone look at me the way Elijah did these days. As if rather than being the source of their nightmares, I was the source of their hope.

Mortals really are strange, silly creatures.Sunny commented dryly. But I shrugged it off. Strange was hardly the worst thing I'd been called in my long, cursed life.

“What should I do?” The angel asked, taking in a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. Making himself face his fears.

The others quietly spread out around the edges of the courtyard to watch, finding seats on benches or in the lush green grass that was nurtured by Andy's witch magic and Niamh's fae influence. But I kept my eyes on Elijah. He was an angel. All the other religious nonsense might be complete bullshit, but there was a single thread of truth to it. His kind were more adept at sensing soul energy.

He was probably keenly aware of the last lingering remnants of soul that clung to his new body. He was afraid if he called on his magic in any meaningful way, it would consume the last remaining spark of life granted to that body by its previous resident. It was a valid fear. That was exactly what would happen. But what he didn't understand was that I wouldn't let this casting fail. This might be a new endeavor for me, but I had a good sense of the boundaries of my own capabilities.

Elijah's soul couldn't leave that body now if it tried. The window of possible rejection had passed. Now that he was firmly seated there, the only release would be if I willed it. That body was his until it was destroyed—and even then, I could probably piece it back together. The only other escape was if I died myself. But that was unlikely to happen any time soon, with Sunshine riding along with me.

“Call your magic,” I told the other man. My voice carried authority. I felt it quiver down the thread that connected us, master to servant. Necromancy was my element. Working my magic was the one area where I felt complete and utter confidence.

A tiny shiver lifted through the angel, as he felt the command in my words. His brown eyes widened, and the tips of his golden wings sparkled as magic rippled through the glowing, branch-like appendages. He knew. He felt that connection between us and the power I had over him. And yet the angel didn't react with horror or fear. He just sort of… leaned into the connection.

He felt supported, I realized with a sort of shocked fascination. He felt…safebecause I was here.

It is a novel sensation,Sunshine commented, his curiosity piqued, and I completely agreed. We weren't used to instillingfaithin people. But I tried not to let my surprise show. I simply nodded my head at the angel, urging him to get on with it.

Closing his eyes, Elijah held his arms loosely at his sides, palms rotated outward, slow, deep breaths lifting his chest. He looked so alive. And hewas. Mostly. It was such a strange change from my usual creations.

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