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Can’t eat her soul in flesh. The huffy tone was even more pronounced. And eat will.
That’s one promise I sure as hell hope you’ll keep.
Will, she said. Together we strong.
Maybe, but it was yet to be seen whether we were stronger than a dark sorceress. Or, indeed, a mad vampire with the power of a god behind her.
“I may have a solution that will work.” I glanced at Ilianna. “But I need to find Azriel fast, and I don’t want to use the stones to do it.”
“No,” Kiandra said. “A very well-prepared trap would undoubtedly wait at the other end of them.”
“Then I’ll search for him,” Ilianna said. “Wait here while I get my athame.”
She turned and ran back to the Brindle. I returned my gaze to Kiandra. “Would destroying this stone have any rebound effect on the sorceress’s strength?”
Kiandra hesitated. “Possibly, but it is not something I’d wish to do within the grounds of this place, as we could not guarantee that the evil bound within the stone would be deflected by the Brindle’s shields once released.”
I frowned. “But you have my father’s warding stones in place now—shouldn’t they work?”
“Again, possibly, but we are talking about a bastardization of magic from this world and the next. I will not risk the lives of all those within these walls on such uncertainty. Not when there are greater perils to be dealt with first.”
Like keeping the final gate to hell safe and secure. She might not have said it, but she was certainly thinking it.
“Besides,” Zaira added, “it would warn your sorceress that her plans have gone awry. That might not be a wise move if you wish to save your reaper.”
“Which is why I came here rather than charging headfirst through the stones,” I said. “And you have no idea how hard it was to not do that.”
Zaira gripped my arm and lightly squeezed. “It’s not easy to kill a reaper—and the sorceress would be foolish to even attempt it before she gained possession of the key. There is time yet.”
I took another of those deep, shuddery breaths and released it slowly. “I know. It’s just that . . . everything that can go wrong has gone wrong so far. I don’t want Azriel to join that list.”
“That possibility has been there from the beginning,” Kiandra said, “and the reaper was more than aware of that fact.”
I met her gaze. “That may be true, but it’s not exactly comforting right now.”
“You must be prepared to fight hard, regardless of who or what is at risk,” Kiandra said. “Because unless you are, you will lose, and you will take this world down with you.”
“I’m more than a little aware of what is at stake,” I said, voice grim. “And more than willing to kill both women at the heart of this mess. I just need help to do it.”
“I know, and I do not mean to chastise you in any way. It is more a warning. The fights that approach—” She hesitated and half shrugged. “It will, in the end, fall to you alone to end all this, no matter what outside help you might have.”
Which was both what I expected and what I feared. That, in the end, it would be just me and Hunter and the fate of the world hanging on the outcome.
Ilianna appeared at the top of the steps, athame in one hand. As she ran toward us, Kiandra added, “I wish you luck, young Risa. Leave the stone where it is—it can hurt no one when separated from its twin. We’ll deal with it when all this is over and done, one way or another.”
She turned and walked gracefully away. I had an odd feeling I wouldn’t see her again, even if I did survive the next nine hours.
Zaira stepped forward and kissed my cheeks. “Good luck,” she said softly. “Not that I think you will need it. You have grown in so many ways over these last few weeks, Risa. I truly believe neither Hunter nor the sorceress really understands the force they now face.”
I smiled, though it felt tight. “I’d like to think that’s true, but I’m afraid they both know altogether too much about me. They certainly know all about my weakness.”
“But your weaknesses are also your strengths. Had they realized that, I doubt they would have taken the paths they now have.”
I frowned. The paths they now have? “Does that mean Hunter has a kidnap plot up and running as we speak?”
Because if that were the case, then I had better warn Rhoan as soon as I could. He might not be happy about me harping on about the risk he was under, but he was the only one she had any hope of getting her grubby little mitts on right now.
Zaira hesitated. “I cannot tell you that for sure. I just know both evils are on very similar paths.”
