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Zeke turned, finding something to focus on instead of spiraling. “Ezra?”

Ezra’s shoulders bunched, sweat sliding down his temples.

Rae twisted on the slab when sparks of red and blue flashed against her clothes.

The council couldn’t fully mask the power it took—not only to end Rae’s life, but to extract her memories and separate her soul for Kalthea while still maintaining the barrier.

Cyn sucked in a sharp breath, clutching his chest as Rae curled in on herself, the chains pulling taut. “Fuck. She’s—fuck!”

I dropped to one knee, pain spearing through my chest.

Zeke cried out, and the triplets turned as he collapsed beside me.

Rinlora looked at Ranthus with wide eyes. “What’s happening to them?”

Ranthus waved a cameraman away. “Leave. The people don’t need to see this.” He turned to Rinlora. “The spell she placed on them must be breaking.”

No.

We felt her pain.

I experienced the attack on her body as if it were happening to me.

Ezra’s breaths came in short bursts through his nose as black tendrils crept up his neck. It took every shred of restraint he possessed to keep his shadows from consuming him.

Every nerve burned in a fire not my own, consuming me from the inside out. My stomach spasmed until I thought I’d vomit. In all my years on the battlefield, I’d never known agony like this—Rae’s pain bleeding through our weakening bond.

“She’s dying!” Zeke curled tight, hugging himself.

This couldn’t continue.

I didn’t care what punishment awaited me for defying Cornaith. I couldn’t let this continue.

I pushed to my feet, seized the distraction Zeke created when the triplets focused on him, and charged the altar. I threw myself over Rae before her fragile human body shattered beneath the magic ripping her apart.

53

PROTECTION

ZEKE

“Stop!” Cornaith’s voice cut through the noise in my head. “You foolish boy!”

Before I knew what I was doing, I cleared the distance to the slab, stopping short when the triplets blocked my path.

Ezra and Cyn flanked me, taking in the horrifying sight of Ash’s body draped over Rae on the slab.

Several rips in his dress shirt exposed bloody gashes where the council’s magic split his back instead of sinking into him like it had with Rae.

Seeing the severity of his wounds painted a worse picture of what they’d done inside Rae’s body.

The skin along my arms rippled, and I forced down the urge to shift. I couldn’t do anything right now for Rae or my brother.

Not from fear of Cornaith, but because I couldn’t undo what was done.

Ash groaned and pushed up on one arm to peer down at Rae. “I’m sorry,” he rasped. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Rae lifted her hand, trembling fingers brushing Ash’s beard. “Why?”