Page 86 of Fated In Forever
“Possible.” Riordan stared up, as I admired the strong column of his throat, my empty stomach growling. “He could have gone over the edge, dematerialized, then used the rift to transport himself thousands of miles away.”
“Where are Romulus and Dante?” Blake’s voice was tight. “Alistair?”
“Romulus would never leave Ravok’s side,” I mused, knowing that was true. “And there was a swirl of shadow, before my uncles disappeared.” I shrugged. “Looked like Ravok’s magic, maybe?”
I sucked in a breath of cold, fresh air. “What I don’t get is why Ravok’s keeping them around. I mean, my uncles are barely more than animated corpses, and Romulus…he’s not much better. None of it makes sense.”
With a rumble, the ground shifted beneath our feet, a low, guttural rumble from inside the mountain that felt alive—or angry—throwing us all off balance, sending rocks tumbling down into the deep ravine below.
“This entire area is getting more and more unstable.” Blake murmured, “That ley line is hemorrhaging power, bleeding magic that has nowhere to go. Fiona’s wards are only sealing all that power below ground, creating a powder keg.”
I took a deep breath, tasting a hint of copper and ozone and the lingering reek of decay. My power lay dormant, exhausted, not rousing, even when I poked at it. Just as well, I supposed, given there was no one left to fight.
After searching the pine trees and not coming up with Ravok’s corpse, we spent the next few minutes helping Brendan and Fiona by moving some rocks—and by that, I mean Blake and Riordan moved rocks while I told themwhere to put them—and keeping an eye on the leaking rift, stopping only when Eldric showed up.
“Commander Forge is on his way with a full contingent of guards. I told him he’d be too late, and it looks like I was right.” Eldric cocked his head, the humor fading from his expression. “You look like death warmed over. You should probably sit down.”
Iwasdead on my feet, every muscle in my body trembling with exhaustion. I’d barely mumbled anI’m fine, when Blake caught me around the waist, his arms binding me tight, but those lines forming between his brows. He was worried.
“She expended a lot of magic today,” Riordan laid his palm over my forehead, concern written all over his face. “You do look pale, Evie. When did you last feed?”
“I’m good.” I mumbled, not wanting another lecture. I studied the devastation surrounding us—the dead thralls, the crumbling Keep, the lines of dead guards and wondered when this would end.
Every time we fought Ravok, there was always a steep cost.
And healwayscame back.
“Where is he hiding?” I asked quietly. “He has to be somewhere.” I pulled out of Blake’s arms and drifted closer to the pile of dead thralls, crouched down to get a better look. “What do these look like to you?”
“People who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Blake said softly.
“Their clothing. Shorts, t-shirts. Open toed sandals, no socks. They’re American. Tourists.” I pointed to one of the t-shirts, hanging loose on a desiccated torso, the macabre emblem familiar. “The Headless Horseman. That’s whyDante and Alistair are still alive. They’re back at Sleepy Hollow. Back at the family compound.”
Blake's arms tightened around me, and through our bond I felt his resolve crystallizing into something unbreakable.
“My clever, clever mate. Once we have the site stabilized, we flush them out,” he said, with a grin that ignited something a vicious inside me.
“All of them. And then we fucking finish this for good.”
39
EVANGELINE
Iwas sick of tasting metal and ash on my tongue.
The sun had set hours ago, I was bone tired, yet could still vaguely discern the outline of the rift above us, still belching magic all over us, like the sky had food poisoning. Commander Forge had arrived hours ago with over a hundred guards. Half stayed to secure the site, the rest carefully transported the fallen soldiers back to Laith Castle, along with Nash.
Nikolai wandered the edges of the Keep, peering at the grotesque pile of thralls, not saying a word, his golden eyes landing on me every so often, filled with a mix of scrutiny and wary apprehension.
My hands had thankfully gone back to normal, though veins still pulsed beneath the sleeves of my jacket.
My favorite leather coat, that Angel had brought from home.
I buried my face in the soft leather, hunting out mom’s scent, since everything else was poisoned by the overwhelming reek of brimstone. I also had on one of Angel’s bright pink “Kiss Me And Die’ shirts on, ridiculously expensive bedazzled jeans from Aisling, and my old scuffed up boots. Ravok was right to be shocked, I looked like I’d been vomited up by a mall.
Fiona was almost done re-stabilizing the shattered leyline, her eyes glowing like embers, outstretched hands trembling from exhaustion. Flame danced down her arms, searing golden fire that sealed over the bubble of magic, while Eldric had gone below with Brendan to find some way to divert some of the pressure.
Every solution created another unsolvable problem, and I should go get some sleep, but leaving felt like I was abandoning a group project before we were finished, and besides…I was the only one here who could handle the rift.
