Chapter 44
Killian
Elyse and Sera vanished, a melancholy blue smoke lingering where they’d stood. Killian stumbled as his hand grasped at nothing. At the same time, Manny lurched forward and nearly fell to his knees as he tried to grab hold of his wife. Tried, but failed.
They were too late.
Both men spun, frantic and senseless, and faced the portal. A wave of blue smoke drifted in front of it. Among the smoke stood two women, one of whom they might never see again.
Killian’s gaze dropped to Manny. His features were in a hard snarl. In the most savage voice Killian had ever heard, he said, “No.”
Manny launched himself over the banister and landed in a crouch on the hard dirt. He’d barely touched down before he was hurtling himself toward the north end of the stadium, straight into the chaos.
“Stand your guard!” Killian shouted to the soldiers before he, too, leapt over the banister and sprinted into the battle.
Manny was already twenty paces ahead, undeterred by the havoc surrounding him.
Hellhounds bolted across the arena floor, chasing their terrified prey.
Civilians tried to claw their way to the pagoda as soldiers fought them back.
Swords and shields swung in a blur across the arena, and the occasional spell zipped through the air, adding to the maelstrom.
All the while Lazarus howled with delight.
Manny was blind to all of it, his focus on the portal. He ducked his head and sprinted harder through the pandemonium. He was going to get himself killed.
“Manny!” Killian screamed. He could hardly hear his own voice above the clash around him. He lengthened his stride in a desperate attempt to catch up to Manny before something terrible happened to him.
An arrow shot through the air, whizzing just ahead of Manny.
He slowed for a millisecond, then pressed ahead.
A passing Hellhound snapped its teeth at him, and Killian shot a stunning spell at the beast. It whined and fell to the ground.
A moment later, a massive black wolf pounced, tearing mangled fur from bone.
Manny didn’t even look back. He raced right into the middle of the arena.
Killian was gaining on him. He held out his hand but couldn’t quite reach his friend. Manny was so determined, so focused on getting to Sera, he didn’t see the Hellhound racing toward him, saliva dripping from his bloodied teeth.
Killian tackled Manny to the ground right as the Hellhound pounced. He dodged the hound’s snapping maw, but its claws had ripped into his back. He let out a groan of pain, even as he pinned Manny to the dirt and forced his friend to look at him.
“You’re going to get yourself killed,” he snarled.
He turned and used his free hand to shoot a stunning spell at the hound. The spell struck the rabid beast in the side and knocked it to the ground. Meanwhile, Manny struggled with violent determination beneath Killian’s arms.
“I have to stop her,” Manny ground out as he tried to shove Killian off him.
“You’re not going to make it.” Killian pointed up to the stands, urging Manny to look as well.
Elyse was alone in the middle of the stands. She held her hands toward the portal, its edges already warbling and shrinking.
“I’ll go in after her,” Manny snarled.
Killian debated letting him go. He would do the same if it were Elyse. He would fight a million Hellhounds to get to her. And if Manny was too lost in his own heartache to properly defend himself, then Killian would be right there beside him, clearing a path.
But then his eyes landed on the only figure in the arena who wasn’t moving. Lazarus was standing deadly still, his head tilted toward the portal. His eyes narrowed on Elyse as he watched her work her spell. His mouth was twisted into a scowl, all signs of triumphant laughter erased from his face.
“Shit,” Killian hissed. He rolled off of Manny. “Do what you must, but I’ve got to stop Lazarus from attacking Elyse.”
He leapt to his feet and sent a ball of fire blasting at Lazarus. The fire zoomed past the demon, ruffling his black hair as it whipped past.
Lazarus’s head snapped to find the source of attack. His mismatched eyes landed on Killian with an immense hatred, as if he couldn’t fathom the audacity.
Shitshitshitshitshit.
Lazarus spun and shot off a spell of the deepest shadows—a death spell, from what Elyse had taught him. Killian raised his magical shield just in time. As the darkness blasted against his shield, another ball of fire whirled past Lazarus, barely missing him.
Killian twisted to see Manny standing, his hands outstretched and ready to fight. He had no shield, only a blazing vengeance in his eyes.
“Come and get me, you fucking crone,” Manny shouted across the battlefield.
“Manny, no!” Killian cried, but it was too late.
One second Manny was by himself in the middle of the arena, and the next Lazarus was standing in front of him, towering over him. He clutched Manny by the throat and hoisted him into the air.
Killian lowered his shield and prepared to fire off a spell, but Lazarus was too fast. He twitched his finger, and a band of black vines wrapped around Killian’s body. The vines bound his hands together and pressed them tight against his chest.
Fear writhed through Killian as he lashed out against his bindings, but Lazarus didn’t even spare him a glance.
His attention, vile and loathing, was all on Manny, whose face had drained of color.
He scratched at Lazarus’s hand around his neck, trying to free himself.
Even as Manny’s fingernails tore away skin, Lazarus didn’t falter.
“Trying to save your pretty little friend?” Lazarus crooned. “She’s in Hell now. Gone, and soon forgotten.”
Manny made a gurgling sound.
Lazarus tilted his head with morbid curiosity. “What was that?”
“She’s… my wife,” Manny forced out.
Lazarus only chuckled at that, a sickening parody of real laughter from someone who had never known true joy. “Is that so?” he taunted. “And what would your wife do if she saw you now? Would she cry? Would she beg me to spare you? Give her own life for yours?”
Killian struggled against the vines pinning his arms. It couldn’t end like this. Sera couldn’t sacrifice herself just to lose her husband anyway. And Killian couldn’t watch his best friend die. Yet he was helpless to do anything but watch as Manny’s lips turned blue.
Lazarus pulled him closer until their faces were nearly touching. “What would your wife say as you died by my hand?” he snarled.
The corner of Manny’s lips curled ever so slightly. A mischievous glimmer shone in his eyes, one that Killian had seen countless times.
“She would say,” he managed to hiss out, “aspurnum al jupari, you murdering bastard.”
And the air around them erupted.