Chapter 24
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Caelen materialized in Malik's library, buckling under the same magic that poured through Daniel. Some Barrier Keeper bullshit. He wasn't going to let it stop him. He was not going to let them do this to his mate.
They are foolish to challenge us like this, Morthul's voice echoed in his mind.
They were in agreement, even if it was for different reasons. Morthul wanted to save himself. Caelen only cared about saving Daniel. He found him on the couch, the magic coursing through him burning too bright for his mortal body.
"Stop this at once," he growled, getting up to his feet.
Before he could do anything, though, Tarian slammed into him from the side, causing both of them to crash into one of Malik's bookcases, ancient volumes tumbling around them.
Caelen twisted away from Tarian's grip, but Galen was already there. Between them, they forced him to his knees. Damnable creatures. Cheaters. They could only fight him because his magic was being stripped from him through his bond with his mate. Caelen breathed through the pain as his eyes found Daniel again.
He'd curled in on himself on the couch, face deathly pale.
"Stop this," Caelen demanded, again struggling against the keepers' hold. He could not let this happen. He would not let this happen.
Elysia didn't look away from Daniel. "The process has begun. It cannot be halted."
The cold certainty in her voice made something snap inside him. Caelen gathered what strength remained and surged upward, breaking Galen's grip. Did these insolent bastards really think they could mess with him and what was his?
Pitch black shadows gathered around Caelen. Morthul's rage flooded through him, and he embraced it as it amplified his own desperation until the air crackled with dark energy. He let it come. Let it fill him. Anything to save Daniel.
The force of it sent both Tarian and Galen staggering backward. Caelen didn't waste the moment on them—he lunged straight for Elysia, shadows coalescing into deadly spears around him. Books flew off the shelves, papers whirled through the air, and the lights flickered wildly. Someone screamed.
Elysia's eyes widened. Her free hand came up, but she couldn't defend herself properly without breaking contact with Daniel. The shadow spears struck the barrier she set up, and for one glorious moment, her magic wavered.
Daniel's eyes fluttered open.
I will get you out of here , Caelen promised him as he launched another attack at the bitch who was touching his mate, but before it could connect, Tarian tackled him from behind, sending him to the floor once more.
Something wrapped around Caelen. Galen's magic, digging into him like chains made of iron.
"Hold him!" Elysia's voice was strained, but she maintained her grip on Daniel. The magic continued to pour through him, killing him by inches.
Sharp pain lanced through Caelen. The power that had surged through him moments ago drained away like water down a sink, pulled through his connection with Daniel into Elysia's spell. He fought against Galen's grip, but his strength was fading too quickly.
He felt dizzy.
Get up, Morthul snarled. We are stronger than this.
But they weren't. Not anymore. Not with their magic being stripped away through the mate bond. The power he'd just spent he couldn't gather again.
His shadows were barely wisps now, useless against the combined strength of the Barrier Keepers and all the while, Daniel's heartbeat grew fainter.
If Caelen could just?—
Something shattered against the wall behind Elysia. She jerked, her spell faltering as she deflected shards of crystal from a broken sphere. Jamie stood by Malik's desk, his face white with fury, already moving to throw more objects at Elysia. "Get the fuck away from my brother."
Caelen didn't waste the moment questioning it. He wrenched free of Tarian and Galen and surged forward, shadows gathering around him one final time. His fingers almost brushed Daniel's arm, so close to touching.
Magic like burning chains wrapped around his throat and chest, yanking him backward, constricting until he could barely breathe.
"No," Caelen gasped. No!
They're going to kill him, Morthul raged. They're going to kill us both.
For once, the dark god's fury matched Caelen's own.
He would do anything to save his mate. Anything.
Caelen clawed at the floor, trying to drag himself closer to Daniel despite the crushing weight of magic holding him down. His vision blurred, whether from tears or magical drain, he couldn't tell anymore. He called out to his mate.
But Daniel couldn't hear him. Daniel was barely there at all, his presence in their bond fading to a thin thread. Caelen's own power bled away through that connection, feeding Elysia's spell until he felt hollow inside. Empty except for the pain and the terror of feeling his mate slip away.
"You should be glad," Elysia said. "With this magic, we will save both your worlds. Your lives will have meant something."
Caelen glared at her.
He didn't care about giving his life meaning. He only cared that?—
His thoughts were interrupted suddenly.
A new presence filled the room. Power rippled through the air, different from anything Caelen had felt before. Through his blurred vision, he saw a figure materialize in a swirl of silver light.
The man who stepped forth commanded attention without effort. Midnight blue hair fell past broad shoulders, and his sharp features could have been carved from marble. His eyes glowed like captured stars as he took in his surroundings.
"Yuri." Elysia's voice cracked with shock, fear, and something else—reverence, perhaps, or memory.
The newcomer lifted one elegant hand, and Elysia crumpled with a cry of shock as invisible magic struck her.
Caelen didn't waste time trying to understand. As quickly as he could, he crawled to Daniel's side. His mate's skin was cold, his breathing shallow. When Caelen touched his face, there was no response.
"Daniel." He gathered the limp form into his arms, searching desperately for any sign of consciousness. "Daniel, please."
Behind him, chaos erupted. Yuri had his hand around Elysia's throat, pinning her to the floor while Tarian and Galen tried to pull him off. Their shouts seemed distant, meaningless.
Stop this display of sentimentality. Morthul's voice cut through his mind. Look at what's before you.
But Caelen couldn't look away from Daniel's face.
These creatures wield magic beyond anything in our world, Morthul pressed. This is our chance. Take it. Drain them dry. Never be weak again.
The words penetrated slowly. Caelen's fingers trembled against Daniel's cold cheek. Morthul wanted to take magic from the Barrier Keepers.
If he did, he would become unbelievably strong. Too strong for Caelen to ever take control again.
I'll protect your precious mate, Morthul promised, his voice honey-sweet. They'll never be able to hurt him again. No one will.
Caelen looked up at Tarian and Galen, still struggling with Yuri.
A thread of magic still connects Daniel and the keepers. Connects US and the keepers. Use it.
There was so much power to be grabbed. Power enough to ensure Daniel's safety. Power enough to make sure nothing like this ever happened again.
He knew it was wrong. Knew he was playing directly into Morthul's hands. But with Daniel lifeless in his arms, he only had one priority, and it wasn't self-preservation.
Gently, he set his mate down, took one brief moment to brush his lips against Daniel's forehead.
Daniel's eyes opened. "Caelen," he breathed, and Caelen's heart squeezed with an emotion more painful than anything the Barrier Keepers had inflicted on him.
"Shh. You'll be okay." He brushed Daniel's cheek with the back of his knuckles and made himself get up. He only had one shot at this.
The Barrier Keepers were still squabbling with each other. Distracted. Caelen reached out and touched both Tarian and Galen.
He let the dark god inside him pull on their essence.
The rush of power was immediate, overwhelming. Magic poured into him like liquid fire, and Morthul's consciousness expanded until Caelen's own thoughts dissolved in that vast darkness.
He let it happen.
Any fate was better than watching Daniel die.