Page 67 of Demonic Division

I lower my gaze from his face, gasping at the sight of what appears to be a great gaping hole in the center of his chest. String-like, golden fissures spread out from the chasm, infecting the surrounding skin and bleeding it of color as the cracks grow. And as they grow, the demon’s outline begins to flicker, breaking at the seams and dissolving in a similar way as Kaebl, Lir, M, Cyprien, and Roark had.

The fissures spread across Abaddon’s arms, legs, and torso before condensing in a single golden coil, separating his body lengthwise into five even pieces. The cord in my chest pulls taut, causing searing pain to radiate throughout my nerve endings as Abaddon howls to the sky once more.

Through half-lidded eyes, I watch the coil embed into his flesh, separating muscle, bone, and tendon—breakinghim apart. His legs are the first to fall to the ground, followed by stomach, chest, and neck. His head joins the other pieces soon after, spewing blue-black sludge across the ice, covering the land in Abaddon’s blood and organs.

A scream tears from my throat as black spots line my vision, blotting my sight as wave after wave of pain courses through my veins. I can’t think, can’t breathe, can’tmove.Stuck in a never-ending loop of pain and sorrow and madness, I lie on the ground, watching as Abaddon's pieces pulse and shudder with the last of his life.

Ear-piercing shrieks shudder through the air, and my gaze rises to the horizon, my stomach churning at the sight of the new wave of Slaine’s soldiers flying straight toward us.

It’s over. It’s all over.

I close my eyes, waiting for the inevitable kiss of death, when something brushes against my cheek, calling my attention. I open my eyes, surprised to find Cyprien’s bunny, Bo, sitting on the ground next to my face, his beady black eyes locked onto mine as his nose twitches gently.

I try to raise my arm but find I’m unable, and Bo leans closer, ears pinning flat against its head as it nuzzles my cheek like before. I blink, and Lir’s bear, Honey, materializes in a swirl of shadows, rounded muzzle lowered and eyes fixed on something just over my shoulder.

Roark’s stag, Comet, steps into view, great horned antlers reaching to the skies like pointed daggers. Its mouth opens, releasing a bellow that shakes the ground and calls the other familiars to attention. Bo and Honey hurry to its side just as Kaebl’s snake materializes, its long golden body standing out against the ice as it slithers toward the others.

The last one to join is Nya. Just like the others, she seems to appear from the very shadows themselves, theoutline swirling and dancing in the wind before solidifying into the body of a little black cat. Her ears are pinned back, the hair between her shoulders standing on end as she releases a hiss, displaying her rage. I follow her line of sight, finding it pinned on Kaebl’s snake. The serpent has reared up, fangs bared in a menacing display of dominance—or perhaps just a warning not to get too close.

The stag releases another bellow, giving no attention to the cat’s fit as it begins walking across the ice toward Abaddon’s severed pieces. Nya yowls her dissent, looking back over her shoulder before eventually following the others toward the fallen demon king.

The familiars form a circle around the bloodied remains of the demon, lowering their heads to the ground as five matching high-pitched yowls pierce the air. My mouth opens in shock as the animals glow—beautiful hues of blue, violet, yellow, gold, and red dancing through the air unpredictably. It’s barely visible, then all at once blinding and vibrant.

A silver thread appears in the center, diverging and connecting each animal to a piece of Abaddon. Binding their souls together. A massive explosion rocks the land, sending chunks of ice and snow billowing into the air, covering the familiars and Abaddon from view.

When the dust settles, five separate demon forms are spread out on the ice, their skin pulsing weakly with the colors once brightening the sky. The familiars are nowhere to be seen, though I swear before I blinked, I saw Nya’s glowing red eyes staring through the dark. Promising me we’ll be together again soon.

The thrumming pain in my chest eases at the sight of Cyprien, Lir, Roark, Kaebl, and M—barely breathing butalive.I stare across the land, scared to blink for fear they’ll disappear again. Terrified this is all a horrible dream.

But in the next second, a worse fear takes root.

M's glowing red eye opens, finding me across the distance and burning into my skin. My breath catches as he pushes upright, his powerful muscles shuddering as he struggles to a stand. Large, bat-like wings spread out to the sides, beating the air and sending M high into the sky. He tips his head back with a smile, releasing a screech to call Slaine’s forces directly to their location. When he lowers his face, his eyes snap to mine, the width of his grin increasing along with the menacing glint in that glowing red orb.

He waves a hand in the air, sending a shot of magic coursing toward me. It burrows beneath my skin, inky fingers slipping deep into my brain tissue and tearing my consciousness away. I should be afraid. But even as I succumb to the dark, only one thing is on my mind.

Want.

40

M

As soon asDagny’s eyes close, I breathe a sigh of relief. With the bond in place, I’m able to access my power—able to use some of it to put Dagny to sleep for a short time. Because of our bond, I can use the magic of The Far Place in a way I haven’t been able to since the day of the sundering, when I first came to be. Ever since that day, I’ve felt it slipping from my veins, returning to the source at an alarming rate and leaving me debilitated.

But that’s all changed now.

I gaze down at the beautiful little creature lying on the ground, my chest thrumming violently with the strength of the new bond. It would be so easy to forget the rest of the world exists. To reverse the inducement magic and have my way with her the way the beast within needs me to.

However, my mood quickly sours as I’m reminded of the reality of the situation. No matter how much my soul is screaming to be united with hers, I have to find a way to fight against it until I deal with this mess. Though it’s possible, it will only be for a short time. Soon, I’ll succumbto the madness as Roark did—and that is theonething I cannot allow to happen.

I gaze around the circle at the four fallen demons and my lip curls back in disgust to find their chest still rising and falling with life. The last thing I remember is Kaebl soaring into the sky in a last-ditch effort to reverse the sundering. Images of that last moment replay in my mind, causing a deep well of pain to echo in my chest. I place my hand over the spot where my heart should be, cringing at the feel of the gaping chasm where Abaddon’s heart should be.

Unwittingly, my gaze trails toward Dagny, and the pain blossoms, spreading to the tips of my clawed fingers and toes.This is not how I wanted her to discover my lie. This is not the image I wanted her to have of me. Especially not when I’ve done all of this forher.

My vision narrows on the lovely little halfling as I lower to the ground, and I begin stalking toward her, my claws scraping the ice with each leisurely step. I watch the gentle rise and fall of her chest, a pleasant warmth humming beneath my skin, growing stronger the closer I get.

I’m vaguely aware of the whooshing of wings beating the air, signifying the arrival of Slaine’s forces, but I can’t be bothered to turn and look. All I want—all I need—is to have Dagny’s fire burning beneath my palms.

“Where the fuck are you going?”

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