Turning to Reedsy, she says, “Give me your hand.”
“No way, you c-c-crazy—”
I’m about to smash my fist into his jaw, but Westlyn beats me to the punch, pun intended. Girl clocks him with a killer left-hook that knocks him out cold, then grabs his hand and slices open his palm, collecting the blood in a small white bowl.
No, not a bowl, I realize. A kneecap.Randall’skneecap—the bloke who harassed her in the park the first night we met.
I can’t help the grin that stretches across my face. Really warms the heart to see her using my gifts in such a creative way.
She catches my eye and winks.
I wink back.
Have I mentioned I love this woman?
When she’s got enough of Reedsy’s blood, she pours a few drops onto each candle. It mingles with hers, sizzling before turning completely black. The flames glow brighter.
“Join hands,” she tells us, standing before an unconscious Reedsy as we clasp hands and close the circle around them.
Then, taking a deep, steadying breath, she closes her eyes and begins walking backward inside our circle, reciting the spell as she goes.
Magic of Wintermoon, magic of hell
Unbind this curse as I cast this spell
My blood is now pure, untethered from thee
I bind you anew, so mote it be
She repeats it three times, making three complete rotations around the circle.
The moment she stops, the candle flames surge once, then flicker out, as does her magic, plunging us all into darkness.
“It’s done,” she whispers.
Chapter Thirty-One
JUDE
“Did it work?” Rook asks.
“We have no way of knowing what the sign will be,” West replies. “We just have to wait until—”
A strangled gasp cuts her off, and Reedsy rises up on his knees, black blood leaking from his nose and mouth, silver light bursting out of his eyes.
“I think that’s probably the sign,” West says. Then, to me, “It’s time, Jude.”
I nod once, then move to my worktable, selecting a sharp blade instead of the crowbar, no longer in the mood for a prolonged send-off.
I step behind him and grab a fistful of his hair. If he realizes what’s going on, he doesn’t show it, blood and light still leaking from him like a man possessed. I jerk his head back hard and bring the dagger to his throat.
This is it. The moment of truth that will either condemn us to eternal hell… or set us free.
With one last glance at my girl, I smile, all for her.
Then I drag that blade across his throat and sever his fucking carotid.
More blood gushes, all of it black as tar. Reedsy gurgles and gasps one last time, then sags.
