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I let go when his body dropped, heavy.
I panted, tentatively letting my feet touch the mirrored floor and groaning in pain when my wings slumped. Andfuck,every muscle hurt. Flying was the worst. It had saved my life but god, at what cost?
I limped around Jacko's body, breathing hard through the screaming burn in my muscles as I pushed my burning hands on every mirrored panel.
"Come on,come on,"I groaned, using the last of the circle's warmth to heal the weakness in my body so I could slam myself into the mirrors.6
I got into a rhythm of it—slam, groan, next panel, slam groan, next panel. I couldn't risk dislocating my shoulder, so I sacrificed my chest with every blow7and I was so distracted by the throbbing of bruised flesh, I was unprepared for the next panel to spin.
I flew out of the mirrored room with a scream, momentum making me whirl around like a clown on a unicycle.
I was spat out into a dark, mirrored hallway, the panel spinning so fast behind me that I lost total control and slammed into a solid wall with a shriek.
The wall was warm; that was weird.
Andit vibrated with a vicious growl. Why was the wall growling?
Wait…
"Joejoe!" I cried, burying my face in Joseph’s chest and hugging him so tight I probably left bruises. His heat and growling was such a comfort that my bottom lip wobbled and for a long moment I just clung to him.
"She's here!" he roared, so loud that I made a noise of grumpy complaint, snuggling into his soft body.
"Thank fuck," Taj grunted, forceful footsteps echoing down the hall. "What the hell happened?"
"Mirror shit," I murmured, wafting my hand. "Jacko, monologues, electrocution, flying, magic, burning hands."
I yelped as realisation hit, letting go of Joseph to look at my hand, and groaning in relief when it wasn't burning red and deadly. I could have killed him.
I hugged my reaper tighter, a rough breath leaving me.
"Avie?"Arkan demanded, cool shadows blasting around us as he rushed for me, his skeletal hand framing my cheek. "Are you hurt? Was it Eidolon?"
I shook my head, leaning into the touch, the jagged fear of being without them easing. "It was Jacko, one of his little bitches."
"The one who tortured you," X snarled, storming towards us from another mirrored hallway. "I'll kill him. I'll skin his entire body and keep him alive for every excruciating moment and—"
"He's dead," I cut in gently. "Come here, I want a hug. Actually, let’s group hug. Where's my devil?"
"Here," Dev called, his deep voice vibrating through me as he walked calmly from the hall to our left, darker red blood on his knuckles and splattered on his armour too. "Every other threat is dealt with, but we couldn't get to you," he said, apology brushing my soul.
"It's fine," I replied, blasé. "I handled it, no problem.8And now my—Eidolon's lost another goon, so it’s good news. Shira's dead, Jacko's dead, oh, and I stabbed Walsh in the face."
"Who's Walsh?" Joseph murmured against the top of my head.
"No one," I replied too quickly. "He's dead anyway, don't worry about it."
Five pairs of eyes narrowed on me. My skin crawled uncomfortably.
My stomach squirmed.
"We hooked up one time, but like, he's dead now. A hundred percent, definitely dead."
"I'll go kill him again," X hissed, turning, "just to be sure."
I hooked my fingers in the neck of his leather armour. "Nope. No leaving my sight, or I'll have a panic attack."
"I won't be long," he assured me calmly, an obsessive gleam in his eyes. "Just a quick stab and I'll be back. Promise, little—"
