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Nerissa’s eyes widened in surprise, flicking between Garrick and me.
The ice answered my call, hurtling toward the air with the force of a hundred archers shooting at once, heeding me in my most desperate need.
And then Garrick altered his course, his movements turning stiff and graceless at the same moment that Preston and Nerissa dropped to the floor. My daggers of ice slammed into him, piercing fur and flesh. Splattering blood across the stone as the wolf crashed into a heap, motionless.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
White. Cold, white nothingness. That was all I saw as I screamed, my voice hoarse and broken. In my mind’s eye, I clung to every moment I’d had with Garrick. A night under the stars, safe and warm. The rumble of his voice as he’d killed to defend me. His searing gold gaze. Each brush of his calloused hand. Our stolen kiss.
Every ounce of my helplessness, my rage, and my grief unfurled in my cry, until I ran out of breath, my voice cracked, and I curled in on myself.
But the white remained, bright and overpowering. I blinked, eyes burning, and found that I’d unleashed astormof blinding white, the antithesis of Prince Fitz’s and Princess Elle’s billowing black clouds. It was a raging, swirling snowstorm right there underground—but it was more than that. Icy bits of snow clung to my lashes and coated my hair, and icy wind made the hairs on the back of my neck rise, but the blizzard was full of light. Pure. Strong. Furious and beautiful and cold and hopeful as starlight.
Bloodcurdling cries shredded the air as the light devoured demons and undead souls together, rushing through them as if they had no substance, until they disintegrated like mist. Some tried to flee, including Preston and Nerissa, who stumbled for the dark corners of the crypt. But the siblings weren’t fast enough, not against my light. The glow pierced them, lighting them up in one awful instant in which they screamed, eyes wideand mouths gaping, and then—nothing. They dissipated like smoke on the wind.
Gone, never again to torment me. I’d banished them, sending them back to their eternal darkness.
As I gaped, the storm gradually died, snow descending into nothingness, evaporating as if it had never been. The white clouds melted. That bright glow vanished, dimming to the eerie glow from the flickering torchlight flooding the room. My light had swept wide—there was still a horde of demons crouching in the shadowy corners of the room, taking to the shelter they could find, but their numbers were heavily diminished.
The subsequent quiet was ominous, my ears ringing from the blizzard I’d created and my own screams. From the earlier din of fighting. Now, I found myself surrounded by bodies, some so desiccated I had to glance away in horror.
Of course, as long as the door to the underworld remained opened, its creatures could regroup and return.
But my mind couldn’t linger on that or on this shred of hope, not for long. I was spent, my body was broken, pain pulsing through me with every breath, and Garrick...Garrick was motionless, shifted back into his fae form and lying in his own blood.
Voices echoed around me as I dragged myself forward, using my one good arm and my one whole leg to move. Each motion sent fresh agony sweeping through my body. “Garrick,” I murmured hoarsely. Tears burned my eyes, but I couldn’t let them fall. Couldn’t let myself believe the worst.
“Ren...” I didn’t know who was speaking. I didn’t care. Unless it was Garrick, it didn’t matter. I couldn’t focus on anyone or anything else.
Claws and scuffling and a horrified cry rang out. The demons were fighting again. But I couldn’t find it in myself to be afraid. Without Garrick, it was all for nothing.
Without Garrick...
“Help! He needs help.” Where was Kinsey? “Kinsey! Someone!” My cries were feeble. Even if I hadn’t broken my voice with my screams, I scarcely had the energy to call out. It was all I could do to crawl to Garrick’s side, slumping beside him. Reaching for his ruined torso, pierced through once, twice, thrice... I stopped counting at half a dozen, unable or unwilling to fathom it. As I watched far too much blood stain the white fur of his vest, my horror grew.
“I did this to you,” I whispered.
Hand shaking, I pressed my fingers to his neck, feeling for a pulse. I brushed my hand over his mouth, praying for the feel of his breath caressing my skin. Nothing.
Nothing.“No,” I moaned. “You can’t leave me. I’m supposed to save you.”
I was supposed to tell Garrick how I felt, supposed to share a future with him. Supposed to find happiness. Supposed to finally share the freedom we’d fought for.
Without him, I was lost. Homeless. Purposeless.
