Page 159 of Wrath

A sense of rightness cascaded through me, accompanied by triumph.

I’d done it.

I’d finally done it.

I’d completed my trial and proved myself worthy of standing by Z’s side, as her equal.

Nothing and no one could keep us apart now.

Just as quickly, those positive emotions were eclipsed by a surge of anxiety.

“Thank you. All of you. But,” I began, panic thrumming through my veins, “we need to find Z.”

Where was she?

Was she okay?

What the fuck happened with Aaliyah?

My heart swelled and then began to bleed anew when it found resistance against the barbed wire surrounding it.

Please be okay.

Please be okay.

“Go,” Atta said, wrapping her arms around Mali’s waist.

Ryland and I exchanged an eloquent look. No words needed to be said.

Without a backwards glance at the others, we broke into a run.

We needed to get to our mate.

Now.

SIXTY

DEVLIN

“What the fuck is happening to her?” Bash demanded for the one millionth time in the last five minutes.

And like the one millionth time in the last five minutes, no one had an answer for him.

All seven of us stood in a semicircle around Z and Aaliyah, who had gone perfectly still. Z gripped the copper handle of the hell dagger, her eyes squeezed shut, while Aaliyah stared blankly ahead.

But whenever any of us attempted to venture towards them, a wall of magic pushed us back. Our mate was right there…but just out of reach.

Absolute panic rushed through me. The last time Z had used this dagger, she’d consumed dark magic and became twisted. What would happen this time?

The world around us was perfectly silent, as if everyone collectively held their breaths. The only light was that from the moon, slicing as cleanly through the darkness as a knife throughbread. It illuminated the gold of Z’s hair, as well as the pitch-black veins writhing just beneath her skin.

Evidence of the dark magic coursing through her.

Corrupting her.

“We can’t lose her. We can’t,” Bash snarled yet again, forking his fingers through his ash-blond hair.

“Shut the fuck up. We’re not going to lose her,” Ryland snapped.

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