Page 308 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
Mother and daughter drew until the circle was complete, and then Akira was shoving Theon to the center. “Come, come,” sheadded, motioning to Dagian until the two males stood in the middle.
“You must not lose contact at any point,” Akira instructed.
“It will be agony, Dagian,” Tristyn added grimly. “I cannot perform this, but I have seen it done. You will feel a piece of yourself being torn away.”
“It can’t be worse than losing Sasha,” he said tightly. “Tell us what to do.”
“No one else crosses in,” Akira said, dancing back outside the circle. “Or the power may choose another.” She glanced at Luka. “Keep her contained. Her Chaos will want it.”
“And you?” Theon demanded.
“I have her,” Xan said, stepping to Akira’s side while Luka slid an arm around Tessa’s waist, pulling her back into his chest.
Dagian lifted his hands, turning his palms up when Akira instructed them.
“A blade,” she encouraged. “Across your palms to merge your blood.”
Dagian drew a dagger from his magic, and Theon knew why. He wanted to feel his power one last time. He drew it across his palms before passing it to Theon to do the same. Theon placed his hands atop Dagian’s as he said in a low voice, “One final chance, Dagian. No one will fault you if you change your mind.”
But his sharp features only tightened, holding his stare as he said loudly, “Do it.”
“Your blood, daughter,” Akira said. “On the Marks.”
“But the Hunters,” Tessa protested.
Akira shook her head. “The Marks are more. If they appear, their power will be taken. They will not venture where sacrifice demands.”
Tessa moved along the perimeter, Luka walking with her, and the Marks flared as her blood fell. Akira was speaking in a language Theon didn’t know, but nothing was happening. Therewas nothing but him and Dagian and the awkwardness that came from standing in a circle holding hands.
Until Dagian winced.
That was when he felt it. A tiny beat of power against his palm as Dagian hissed from between his teeth. Theon’s hands tightened instinctively, their mixed blood dripping to the ground while more and more power flowed. Small drops that grew and slid along his soul as if seeking a way in.
Dagian grunted in pain, lurching back a step. “Do not let the connection break!” Akira cried. “It is too late to stop.”
But Dagian stepped back again, gasping in pain.
“Dagian,” Theon ground out, gripping the male with everything he had. “You can do this. For your people. For Sasha.”
Dagian nodded frantically, another grunt of torment coming from his lips as he dropped to his knees, dragging Theon down with him. He didn’t know what was going on around them anymore. Didn’t know what Tessa was doing. Couldn’t focus on Akira. Everything in him was homed in on the male who had already sacrificed, and now was giving more. Who was trusting him to make a difference with this sacrifice. To ensure Sasha’s life was not lost for nothing.
Dagian gasped, the ground trembling beneath them. Waves were crashing to the shore from the sea, and it wasn’t drops of power coming to him now. This was waves of magic slamming into his soul. He grunted for a different reason, forcing himself to stay upright as another burst of power flowed into him. It wasn’t light. It wasn’t energy. It was darkness and death churning in his soul, and he felt it rip free, his shadow wings forming as he absorbed more and more from Dagian. He was an heir, poised to be the most powerful male in the Achaz Kingdom. If this was his power, what of the Ladies? This was staggering enough. To add more? And to know he still wouldn’t be as strong as Tessa?
Someone was calling his name. Someone else was still chanting in an old tongue. All he could do was take the power rushing over him, trying to find another while also latching onto his soul. His darkness swallowed it down, taking and taking.
Because life must give, and death must take.
Until finally it was done, and Theon caught Dagian’s shoulders as the male slumped forward.
Akira must have told them it was safe because Tessa was throwing her arms around him, and he clutched her close, letting his darkness envelop her. Luka watched warily while wrapping Dagian’s hands in something. Where he’d gotten the cloth, Theon didn’t know, but Dagian wouldn’t be able to heal anymore.
Tessa pressed her mouth to his, her lips lingering as she asked, “How do you feel?”
“Restless,” he muttered, trying to wrangle the new magic in his soul.
“I can help,” she whispered, still straddling his lap. He felt her chaos there, wrapping gently around his darkness. Coaxing it. Calling to it. Calming it.
His breathing evened out as he tried to adjust, and she took his face in her hands. “We can do the others another time. This does not all need to be done today.”
