“How much farther, Coop? I’ve got a bad feeling,” I said.
Cooper glanced over his shoulder at me and frowned. “Just up here.”
A few seconds later, our path turned a corner, and we were drenched in the darkness of a forest. The only light was coming off my and Emersyn’s bodies, but it was so bright it blocked me from seeing beyond our glow.
“I can’t see a thing. Where are we going?” I asked.
“It’s a tree house.” Cooper stopped and pointed above us. “I see a light on.”
I followed his finger up into the heart of the darkness. The trees were so tall in this area they blocked out all of the stars. The moon only barely shimmered through the branches. No, wait. The moon was behind us. That golden flickering light up in the trees must’ve been the tree house. I licked my lips and tried to rein in the hope swelling inside me.
I turned to Cooper. “Lead the way, big brother.”
Cooper sighed but he pushed ahead through some trees. He waved us to follow him off the designated path and into the forest. I wasn’t sure how he knew where he was going. I tried to dim the light coming off my skin, but my emotions were far too out of control. I grabbed onto the back of his shirt and held my other arm out behind me. Emersyn gripped my elbow with both hands, her dagger cold against my skin.
Sooner than I expected, Cooper stopped and moved aside. The tree trunk in front of me had to be four feet wide. A ladder was carved into the bark. My pulse quickened. Please be up here. I gripped the ladder and made my way up. Emersyn followed after me. She alternated between cursing and groaning every few seconds. When I made it to the top, a balcony lit with flickering lanterns greeted me. I climbed up on the flat surface and looked around. There was an old sofa and a few random chairs lined up along the wall. A thin wooden rail bordered the edge.
Emersyn grumbled and her blonde head popped into view. I squatted down and reached out to help her onto the balcony. Cooper climbed over the edge right after her. He pushed past us and led the way through an open doorway filled with an orangish light. I ran after him and slammed right into his back. He’d stopped a few feet inside without me realizing. I cursed and stumbled back. A cold draft washed over my feet and traveled up my body. I frowned and moved to Cooper’s side.
Bentley—what the hell? My heart dropped and my stomach twisted.
Bentley sat in the middle of a cozy living room surrounded by worn-in couches. Except he wasn’t on one of them. He sat cross-legged on the wooden floor inside a closed circle made of salt. He hadn’t acknowledged our arrival. Books were open and scattered around him, like he’d been doing research. The Hierophant’s Mark stood out on his thin arm, with our prophecy written below it…taunting me. Mocking me.
“Bentley!” Emersyn screamed and ran toward the circle.
“Wait!” I grabbed her wrist and held her back. “The circle is closed. We could hurt ourselves or him if we break it.”
“But…” Emersyn whined and pulled at her long hair.
“She’s right. We need to get his attention.” Cooper turned toward me and tapped on my forehead with his finger. “Call to him. Just him though. No need to alarm anyone else.”
I nodded and swallowed down a rush of anxiety. I turned my focus back to my baby brother and concentrated. I’d never intentionally tried to communicate to one person.
BENTLEY. Can you hear me, B-man? I need you to hear me.
Nothing.
I glanced over to Cooper. “It’s not working.”
“Keep trying,” Cooper urged.
I clenched my teeth and summoned my magic, then pushed it toward my baby brother. BENTLEY! HEAR ME NOW!
Bentley jumped and dropped the book in his hands. He spun around toward the door, and his golden eyes widened. Golden eyes, just like Emersyn. I am so blind. I shook my head to clear those thoughts. I waved my hand, gesturing toward his circle. Break your circle. Now.
He nodded and scrambled to his knees. He crawled to the edge of his circle and brushed the salt away. Once there was an opening, he stood and walked through it. “Hey, guys, what’s wrong—” He gasped and stumbled back like someone had hit him. His eyes glazed over and his head shook ever so slightly.
All three of us rushed to his side. Cooper put his hands on either side of Bentley’s face and pushed. I felt his magic pour out of him like a shockwave. Bentley blinked a few times then finally focused his gaze on Cooper.
Emersyn sighed and sank to her knees, clutching Bentley’s hand. “What was that?”
Cooper sighed and pointed to the floor inside the circle where a small handful of stones sat piled. “Alexandrite and diamonds. Alexandrite causes obsession, over-focused thoughts. Diamonds can be used to blind someone in many different manners. And when given as a gift, it obscures the giver’s shady intentions.”
“Oh, right.” Emersyn nodded. “In English?”
“He couldn’t hear his own psychic powers while in that circle.”
Bentley scratched his head and frowned. “Henley gave me a stack of books and said Cassandra used to do her clarity rituals here. She said it would help me.”
Red light filled the tree house. I frowned and glanced over my shoulder just as an explosion roared and rocked the ground. The tree house wobbled, and we all fell over. Objects crashed to the ground all around us. Shrieks of pain filled the air, echoing around the park. Light scattered across the sky.
Cooper cursed and ran to the edge of the tree house. “The Gap is reopening.”
“Tennessee,” I whispered and scrambled to get back to my feet. I half crawled to the ledge where the ladder was. “He’s alone over there!”
Cooper’s face paled, but he snapped into action. “He’s good, but he’s not invincible. Come on!” He dropped out of sight, practically sliding down the ladder.
I threw my legs over the edge and paused, looking up for my siblings.
“Go!” Emersyn shouted from the doorway. “I’ve got Bentley!”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Tegan
By the time Cooper and I made it back to the fountain, the rest of The Coven were already there and thick in battle. My older brother charged forward with his sword drawn. His blond head disappeared within the chaos.
Where is he? Where is he? I scanned the courtyard frantically. I knew I needed to be in the fight, but I couldn’t until I knew where he was. I scanned every face, searching for a head of long, messy black hair and the most perfect mismatched eyes. My heart pounded in my throat. Oxygen burned a path into my lungs.
Tennessee.
Tennessee.
Tennessee.
Where are you?
My thoughts were stuck, like a broken record repeating the same word over and over again. In the back of my mind, I watched the Gap in the fountain spewing dozens of demons at once. I saw Royce fighting off some fairy-spirits from the pool, like he was trying to jump in the Gap after his sister. I registered every face of my Coven, including my parents, battling spider-demons.
I saw all of this in the flash of a moment, in a blur of movement and light. But my mind focused solely on the one thing I couldn’t see. Tennessee. My chest tightened with pressure, cutting off the air I needed to breathe.
A fairy dropped out of the sky right in front of me. I jumped forward and sliced my dagger through the air in giant x motions until all that was left were bloody wings still flapping from the tip of my dagger.
I spun back to the fountain. Where is he? I just needed to put my eyes on him for a second to make sure he was okay. My senses were on overdrive. The salty, coppery smell of fresh blood stung my nose. Each shriek of pain pierced my ears. I couldn’t decipher if they were from demons or witches.
A spider-demon dropped out of the sky and raced toward me. I clenched my teeth and tightened my grip on my dagger. I rolled to the balls of my feet, like Uncle Kessler had taught me, and waited until the demon was in the right spot. Then I charged full speed at the monster. It hissed and leapt, but I surged forward and slam
med my blade into its stomach. I tackled the disgusting creature to the ground. We rolled a few times before stopping on the far side of the fountain. I scrambled to my feet and plucked my blade from the monster’s gut.
Then I saw him.
Tennessee. My breath left me in a rush. He was alive, seemingly uninjured. But vastly outnumbered. There had to be at least fifteen demons surrounding him, attacking him relentlessly. He had his sword in one hand and black dagger in the other. He spun, ducked, and slashed through demons like it was nothing. Except every time he killed one, it seemed like two more showed in its place.
My vision tunneled. My stomach turned and tightened. He was good, but was he that good? Could he fight two dozen demons all by himself? I didn’t think so. But he was on the opposite side of the courtyard from me. Blood trickled down his arms. My heart climbed up my throat. Why is no one helping him?
I looked around in desperation, but everyone else was thick in battle. A blast of light flashed from the fountain, and five more spider-demons dropped in Tennessee’s path. NO! I sprinted toward him. I was going to get to him. A fairy was thrown into my path by Royce, but I dove into a somersault and rolled under it. I didn’t take the time to congratulate myself on the feat—I had to get to Tennessee.
He slashed and kicked demons like they were training posts. How long until he tired? How long until even the Emperor took a hit? The scar on my chest seared with pain. I cringed and hissed through it, but I didn’t slow down.
Three oozing demons landed in front of me. I jumped on a dead spider-demon’s back and propelled myself through the air, slicing my dagger right through one of the oozer’s faces. Something soared by my face and sank into the other demon’s chest. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Easton in his magical armor, swirling his sword through demons. Venom and blood flooded the courtyard. I spun back around and swung my dagger through the third demon’s neck, slicing its head right off its shoulders.
My gaze jumped back to Tennessee, and my heart stopped. The front of his shirt was torn and tattered, and blood covered his chest. But he wasn’t showing signs of slowing down as another dozen demons crashed down on him. I choked on a gasp. These monsters had wings and fangs the size of my leg that dripped with black venom.
Then he was gone. The winged demons blocked my view. NO! I charged ahead. My feet burned with every slam against the concrete as I raced toward him in a desperate sprint. I wasn’t going to make it in time, and he wasn’t going to win that fight by himself. Emperor or not. I had to do something. Think, Tegan!
My fingers tingled with energy. I glanced down while I ran and found a rainbow of mist swirling around my hands. Idiot! In my panic, I’d somehow forgotten I had magic. Rookie mistake! I clenched my teeth and summoned all of my magic. I didn’t need to get to him. I had my magic, and a whole hell of a lot of it. I slid to my knees and screamed, pushing my magic with my mind. My body soared with power, like a volcano rippling and ready to explode. I reached out with one hand until I sensed Emersyn’s aura from somewhere nearby. I pulled it into myself, lassoing it like a wild bull. I threw my other hand out toward the fountain and seized the water’s power, harnessing the raw energy like my own. Power surged through me.
I narrowed my eyes and screamed, pushing with everything I had.
Light filled the courtyard, and the fountain exploded.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Tennessee
I blinked up at the stars twinkling in the black sky. How did I get on the ground? I frowned and rolled onto my side. The world spun, and my ears rang with a high-pitched shrill. My entire body throbbed and burned. I could already feel all the places where the demons had cut me. I groaned through the pain. I licked my lips, and my stomach rolled at the taste of blood. Rain splashed across my back, but the water was warm and thicker than normal. Wait. I frowned and glanced over at the fountain…or where it used to be.
Oh…my God.
I jumped to my feet, but the world wobbled and I stumbled. I held my hand out and summoned my sword. When everything stopped spinning, I swung my weapon, expecting to find another horde of demons, but my blade sliced through air. It took a few more blinks for my vision to clear completely. When it did, I saw my Coven-mates sprawled around the courtyard floor. None of them had gotten to their feet yet, though they were moving. I scanned the group, looking for signs of serious injury. Cooper was a few feet from me, rubbing his face with his hands. Kessler was behind him, and he rolled onto his stomach. Over on the other side, Hunter had gotten up and was helping Devon to her feet.
My heart caught in my throat. Where’s Tegan? I spun on my heels, searching for a splash of violet. Where is she?
Someone coughed behind me. It was weak and soft, barely loud enough to hear over the pounding of my heart. I turned and walked in the direction of the sound. My pulse quickened with every step I took. About thirty feet away from me, a large piece of the concrete fountain sat on the cobblestone ground. A long, pale leg stuck out from under it…a leg with beat-up, studded combat boots.
Tegan. I dropped my sword and sprinted toward her. Please…please be okay.
I probably should have called for Kessler to come move it off her, except my mouth wasn’t working. I clenched my teeth and summoned a gust of wind. It took longer than normal, but after a few seconds, the concrete flew off. I sank to my knees at her side. Oh, God. My stomach turned. I swallowed a lump in my throat and brushed her wet hair back. Her pale, thin face was splattered in blood and not all of it demon.
“Tegan,” I whispered and leaned down to her ear. “Tegan?”
I brushed the back of my fingers along the side of her face. Nothing. Not a single movement. No. No. You have to be okay. Please, Tegan. I pressed my hand to her throat, and a noise I’d never heard myself make slipped between my lips. Her heart thumped against my skin. I exhaled a breath. My body sagged with relief. She’s breathing. With trembling fingers, I pulled the thin black cotton of her shirt away from her chest just enough to get a glimpse of her soulmate glyph. The heart-like crystal marked into her skin pulsed with energy. The vines spreading out to her shoulder were bright red, irrefutable proof that she was alive.
I knew I shouldn’t have, but I didn’t care. I gathered her into my arms and held her tight to me so I could feel the pounding of her heart against my chest. I buried my face in the crook of her neck and breathed her in. She smelled like salt and maple syrup, and I didn’t care. She was alive.
“Is she all right?”
I jumped back, lowering her away from my chest. Golden eyes met mine. I nodded up at her father. He probably wanted to check her himself, to hold her and treat her. But I couldn’t make myself let her go. She was his daughter; he had every right to demand her from me.
“Tennessee?” My father’s voice bellowed from closer than I expected. “Give Tegan to her father. Let him take her to get help.”
I heard their words. I knew they were right. Why, then, did my body not respond? My legs were mush. My heart pounded so hard my ears throbbed. I licked my cracked lips and concentrated. One by one, I released my fingers from Tegan’s unconscious body. How many times are we going to do this? I didn’t look up as Hunter crouched down and lifted her out of my arms. A soft hand squeezed my shoulder.
Devon smiled down at me. She gave me a reassuring little shake. “I’ll let you know when she wakes. Promise.” She gave me one last smile then followed after her husband.
Kessler cleared his throat. When I finally looked up at him, I found his eyes narrowed on me. He shook his head. “We’ll talk about this in the morning.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Tegan
Where is he? Tennessee! I ran through the courtyard, searching for his face in the sea of demons. I felt the power of his magic pulsing through the air and in the ground under my feet, but I couldn’t see him anywhere. Where are you? Bright light stung my eyes, blinding me from seeing anything clearly.
Something warm and fuzzy brushed against me. I spun and ki
cked my leg out.
“OW!” Emersyn screamed. “It’s me, crazy pants!”
I gasped and jumped back, slamming into the wall. Ouch. We were in my bed, in our bedroom. It was only a dream. The bright light was just sunshine pouring in through the window.
I sighed and dropped back down to my pillow. “My bad. My bad.”
“That seems to be your slogan.” Emersyn giggled and it shook the entire twin-sized mattress. “You blew up the fountain, didn’t you?”
“I plead the fifth.” I grinned and rolled onto my back. Normally I would’ve been freaking out to have someone lying in my bed with me, but Emersyn and I just kinda fit. Maybe it was a twin thing?
Our door opened, and a head of chocolate-brown hair popped into view. Light green eyes that matched mine were wide but warm. “May I come in?”
“Oh, hi…Mom.” It still felt weird calling her that, but every time I did, it made me smile a little bit wider. “Yeah, come in.”
“Mom!” Emersyn jumped up into a seated position. “How’s Henley? What happened? No one will tell me anything.”
“Kenneth is trying to decipher exactly which kind of demon possessed her.” Our mother sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears. “A greater demon came through right at the end, but it was knocked back out… It took Henley with it. Your father is going over to the Redds’ now to calm them I thought you’d like to see Royce.”
“Oh my God. Royce!” Emersyn jumped to her feet. She scrambled over, slipped on her little white sneakers, and dashed out the door in seconds.
My mother cleared her throat and walked to the edge of my bed. “May I?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
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