Page 236 of Red Ruin

Vhex staggers, gripping his head. His flames ebb and sputter as threads of decay worm through his soul. He thrashes and snarls, but without my help, Vhex can’t shake the lich king’s hold.

“Lich,” the word slithers like a curse from the shadow that used to be Remy. He’s almost gone.

He has no thoughts.

Barely a pulse.

Yellow mist creeps through his ink-choked soul. With nothing left but rage at seeing me attacked, he launches shadow blades at the lich king’s guardians.

The blades twist and disappear before they hit their targets.

Remy claws at his temples, scattering silver hair.

His claws rip through the leather of his mask. Straps severed, it falls to the ground.

Without the last of my lingering flavor, his pain and confusion spike.

“Fight!” I scream through the echo of his agony. “He’s not stronger than you.”

Luca’s body is weak.

Andtheyhaveme.

If I could justtouchthem.

“Come to me,” I call, fighting Kevan’s grip.

Vhex and Remy stumble closer.

Their bodies battle the lich king’s guardians on auto-pilot, but their motions are jerky. I can see andfeelthem fading.

Moving just as robotically, Kevan heaves me into Lich-Luca’s reach.

“Yes. This is the body.” The lich king grabs my throat. “My perfect vessel.”

Shards of ice slow my breathing.

The deathly frost spreads, filling the creases in my brain.

“No,” I choke and grab his wrist. My arms shake. My vision wavers.

The cold burns.

I can feel the lich king’s intention.

He’ll burn my soul and hollow me out.

Ithurts.

I hang on as the guys stumble closer, instinctively fighting to reach me even though their reasoning is gone.

Vhex reaches me first.

I latch into his soul.

His welcoming heat hits like a deep hug, burning off a layer of suffocating ice.

“Vhex,” I gasp.

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