Chapter 39 #2
I dropped Karackos’s circle and let him follow me to Nessum.
“I make you this offer, Nessum. I make it only once, and you have very little time to consider. I will drop the circle soon and you will die.” His anger sprang forth and black, spongy wings spread from his body, pushing physically at the bubble.
“If the circle falls you get no choice, Nessum—you will lose your head to Trevina’s blade. I give you leave to choose otherwise. You can choose to be bound to the Demon Karackos as familiar from this time forth.”
“Bound to a lesser Demon?” He coughed as he spoke. “As a familiar? I would rather die!” He held his head high.
“So be it.” I spun the blade again and brought it up. It was my magic holding the circle, so my blade would go through it and not break it. Nessum was trapped.
I swung.
Just before the blade reached his neck, he shrieked, “No! Stop! I’ll do it!”
I stopped. “Last word here, Nessum. No more chances.” I really wanted him dead, but I needed out of Karackos’s indenture as well.
“Fine!”
Karackos struggled forward. “You know the words, bind yourself to me freely.”
“I freely bind myself to you, Karackos. I surrender my power and my liberty to your service. I will follow you and you alone.” The words came out from behind a fierce grimace.
Karackos jumped in glee. “You may drop the circle now, Lady Keena. He will no longer attempt to harm you or yours, will you, Nessum?”
“Not while I am in your bondage. But that will not last forever.” He stumbled forward toward Karackos, as though being pulled.
Karackos huffed but Nessum kept his gaze on me, eyes burning with a promise of retribution.
I wished he hadn’t changed his mind. I would have preferred him dead.
They moved back to the circle in which I had summoned Karackos.
I sent them back in a puff of thick, black smoke.
As soon as Nessum was gone, Feldema collapsed, completely stripped of what little power remained. The bystanders were all silent, watching, the sounds of the battlefield died down to only the hum of the ley line.
“Keena?”
I was looking at Jordan—but it was Tynan’s voice I heard from behind me. His voice laced with confusion and tenderness.
The voice of a man who remembered he loved me.
Jordon’s gaze went over my head. I felt Tynan moving closer.
Jordan tensed and then looked back to me and nodded. “The spell is broken.” The words were a mere whisper on his lips. “This should be interesting.”
I turned. My heart exploded. His clothes were splattered with blood. His stride was unsure. He was remembering, trying to piece together the last months. The emotions so plainly crossed his beautiful face. “You set me free?”
The crowd had started milling about. Others were talking and cleaning up the area. Someone helped Feldema from behind us. I was aware of all this but I could only look into those huge, dark blue eyes.
I wanted to jump for joy and scream in anger. I wanted him back. I wanted him free. Jordan placed his hand on my back for support. The reassuring touch reminded me that this too was out of my control. Tynan was back. And what that meant for the three of us would have to play out in time.
Tynan had stopped a few feet from us. His breathing was slow, his hands frozen at his side. He didn’t seem to know what to do. Jordan pushed me from behind. “Go to him, Keena. He needs you now.”
I took a step forward. My legs were shaky. I felt a tear make its way down my cheek. I wanted him back. Now that I saw that look in his eyes, I knew I would never give him up again. “Tynan.”
He swept me into his arms. The warmth of his embrace gave me strength.
“Oh God! I’ve missed you!” I took his face in my hands and held it still for a moment.
I needed to look at him, to hold him. I pressed a single kiss to his forehead.
I didn’t comprehend how much I had missed him until I felt his body against mine, felt his heart pounding in his chest. I wept openly into his shirt.
“I had to, Tynan. It was my only chance to break the bond. I wanted you to be happy.”
“Did I not seem happy to you? I knew I had lost something. I couldn’t put my finger on it. But I missed something—I missed love. I missed you.” He pressed his lips to mine and kissed me as though he would never get the opportunity again. I returned the fervor of that passion.
“You have much to answer for, Ma Guerrière. Much to answer for.” He looked over my head to the half-Demon behind me.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Jordan said.
Tynan pushed a loose stand of hair from my face and gave Jordan a commiserating nod. It felt so good to be in his arms. “She is a handful, isn’t she?”
Doran and the other Witches who had been helping me hold the circle were on the ground as if they had been thrown. One of Doran’s consorts tried to help her up, but she shooed him away. “Bring her to me, Lord Tynan.”
Tynan did as he was told and carried me to her, setting me before her.
I was so weak I couldn’t stand on my own, my legs folding as I sank tiredly before Doran.
Jordan kneeled, positioning himself behind me so I could lean against his strength.
Tynan knelt at my side to openly declare his renewed position.
Doran placed one hand on my shoulder and she lovingly smiled at Tynan. With a raised hand, she hushed the crowd.
“Keena, Priestess of the Wild, child of the twenty-first daughter of Agnus the Betrayed, born under the full moon, I claim you and hold you duty bound to the Kith as High Priestess. In one year and one day you shall succeed me and assume your birthright as leader of the council and conscience of the Kith. The prophecy comes to fulfillment before the eyes of the gathered and seals you to us.”
The crowd cheered.
“Be well and be wise, my niece.”