Bastien sees her and stiffens.
Architecti launches herself at her sister.Their wings smash against each other with such force, the entire courtyard trembles, knocking several students over.
Bastien is frozen, staring at the wraith staring back at him.It shifts and morphs, his sister’s face coming into view and vanishing as she fights the wraith eating her shade soul.
I swing up, cutting right through the centre of an ashspawn, its insides spraying over my face and clothes.
Architecti sends several enormous threads of white magic at the swarm of moths holding Lucy prisoner.
Lucy manages to break free for the first time.Her body is covered in pock marks where the moths have drained her.
She staggers away until Interitus darts in front of her and conjures another swarm of moths.
“Fuck,” I head in her direction, only to get knocked off my feet by a wraith.I roll out the way as its foot plunges towards me and slices through what I assume was its kneecap.It wails in agony as I hurl myself off the floor and sink my scythe into its chest.
Architecti lifts off the cobbles and flies over the surging moths to smash into her sister.
The angels battle against each other, crashing into buildings and people.Stone chips fly through the air, ribbons of magic loop and swirl around us as those left fight the wraiths.
Alistair has taken control of the Veil tears and sealed most of them, but the deepest ones are still fraying.
They’re literally unravelling as I stare at them.
We’re winning.
But as I clock eyes on Bastien, my heart sinks.He is frozen.Locked in a staring competition with the wraith devouring his sister.
“Bastien…” I say, but he can’t hear me.He could barely keep himself together last time he saw her.My gut sinks.Bile claws up my throat.
“We need to separate them.But I don’t want to leave Lucy, what if the moths?—”
“Go,” Lex says, “get her inside.We’ll take her to medical once the Veil is closed.”
Air rushes past me, the lightest feather touch brushing my cheek.A body smashes into House Inferos’s entrance, blocking my way.
“Architecti,” I say, glancing around.
Interitus is laughing, her head thrown back, her eyes dropping to Lucy.She opens her arms, a new swarm of moths bursting to life.And this time, the threads surrounding Interitus peel off and fly towards Lucy, who is charging across the courtyard towards us.
“Shit, shit, shit,” I breathe and sprint the last stretch.I pull Lucy behind my body as Lex reaches us.We create a barrier blocking her from Interitus and the flying parasites.
“The moths,” a strange gravelly voice says.
Lex and I snap around to look in the direction of the voice.It’s Calyx, Bastien’s sister.Interitus rounds on us, the moths surging ahead of her.
Lex and I lock arms, pressing Lucy back behind us.They’re not getting to her.I slam my eyes shut and brace for impact.But it never comes.
Instead, in my ear, Lex is screaming, screaming, screaming.Calyx stands in front of us, shouting and battling both the moths and her inner wraith.
“She’s trying to protect us,” I breathe.
“Oh no… no, no, no,” Lex says.
I catch up to what she’s seeing a moment too late.He’s already made the decision.
“DON’T,” I shout.
But it’s too late.Bastien throws himself into the fray to help his sister.
