Page 210 of The Bonds of Indigo

Belial swings, but he vanishes. Only then do I understand. His shadows took down the Pyrehounds—hundreds of them. And as the Crimson Dawn is out, he’s capable of summoning an unlimited number of them.

Though, for him to have brought Belial to his knees means he’s become stronger since the last time I saw him. Must be a side effect of feeding on a Succubus for… however long.

“Hey, girl. Mind pulling back another arrow?” Xera asks.

Amarah obeys without hesitation. When it’s cocked and ready, blood begins to swirl along the tip. I don’t need to be a genius to recognize what Xeraphine’s about to do.

“I tried to punch you that day in the Beyond,” Xera continues, directing her venom toward Belial. “Turns out we can’t make you bleed. But would you look at that… she can.”

I glance at Lucifer. He’s back on his feet and gathering the tendrils of his shadows from the ground, slowly weaving them toward his father.

“I do wonder what it would be like to control you…” she muses.

Belial snarls, “Know your place, Xeraphine. I helped you.”

“Eh.” She shrugs, and Kairhyse flickers into existence at her side. “You made me a deal. That isn’t helping. Now, unless you want to fight all of us—and find out exactly how fast I’ll kill that Fallen prick, ruining any chance you have of getting what you want—I suggest you leave.”

Belial roars, “You won’t tell⁠—”

“Fire.”

The arrow releases with a sharp echo, but before it can strike its mark, he’s gone. Not sidestepping. Gone. And the gates to the Beyond vanish with him, along with every Pyrehound that crawled through.

I look straight at Lucifer, meet his eyes for a single heartbeat, then whip my head toward Amarah just as she’s collapsing. In perfect Xeraphine fashion, she merely glances down and watches her fall as if it’s an interesting inconvenience.

I’m at her side before her head can touch the ground. Her skin, once flushed and warm, now crumbles beneath my hands like dried, cracking mud. She’s breaking apart in my grasp, and there’s nothing in the world that terrifies me more.

“What’s happening?”

“Wow… Is that a fucking tree?” Kai says with a laugh.

“She needs to return to Vendra. It will take time for her to heal.”

“Oh shit, and it talks.”

“Kai, for fucks sakes, read the damn room.” I think Xera swats him, but I can’t look away from my girl to confirm.

I drag my thumb gently across Amarah’s cheek, slip my other hand to her hip, and pull her onto my lap so I can hold her properly. Lucifer kneels in front of us almost immediately, brushing her hair away from her face with shaking hands.

Her eyes, once vacant and terrifyingly empty, begin to shift back toward the indigo I’ve come to adore.

“Nice shooting, little slayer,” I murmur, voice cracking despite my effort to keep it steady.

Both edges of her lips curl up. “I never miss.”

“You must allow her to go.”

Shaking my head, I deny the request. “No…” I smile down at her as she slowly blinks. “You’re staying right here with us. We’ll take care of you.”

“Her healing will take weeks. She will be safest with⁠—”

“Us.” I cut him off before he can say more. “Sorry. I’m going to be a brute, Vendra.” I swear I hear her chuckle, though it might just be my imagination. “I know she can’t heal her, so let us tend to her.”

I look up at Thornwyn, who’s staring down at me with barely contained fury. “Why did she save her life? The hex doesn’t allow it.”

“I do not know what either of them see in you. You are… an idiot.” I groan and have to force myself not to react. “She is now in the mortal world; the hex is back in effect. However, if you had died, so would she. So, essentially… Vendra did not save her, but instead, saved you. A loophole… I suppose.”

“Kayn.” I bring my attention back to my girl. “If I die, you die. The bond, if snapped through death, will kill the other.”