Chapter Thirty-Four #3
It hung in the farthest corner of the room, half-concealed by heavy velvet drapes. A prison of iron, barely large enough to hold the small, trembling creature curled within.
Vex.
Aurelie pushed Severin off her, heart racing.
The poor vesper was trapped, dangling in the cage before several greedborn who watched with hungry stares. They prodded at her through the bars, long claws scraping iron as Vex bared her teeth and snapped at any that came too close.
“Feisty little thing, isn’t she?” one of the demons mused, swirling a glass of that same peach-colored drink Aurelie had tasted earlier. Her stomach clenched at the sight of it.
“We should make her drink,” another suggested, voice slick with amusement. “I’d like to see what a vesper’s like in heat.”
“It’s probably like a hound,” a third laughed, grabbing a companion by the hips and mock-thrusting against them. The others cackled while Vex’s ears flattened, her small frame curling inward. She looked past the demons, searching for someone to help her. Searching for Aurelie.
The Luminel’s gaze swept over her, then immediately past her.
Aurelie’s breath hitched.
“You’re glamoured,” Severin reminded her. Even then his voice coaxed her. She struggled against its pull, forcing her focus to remain on Vex.
“She needs our help.” Her fingers tightened around his arm. “They’re going to hurt her if we don’t do something.”
“They’re not going to touch her.” For once, Aurelie appreciated the certainty in Severin’s voice. She leaned into it, letting it settle over her like armor.
The demon pulled her closer, his fingers knotting in her hair. This time, there was no emotion behind it, only calculated precision. He kept his attention fixed on the greedborn as he turned her, using her body to shield himself from view.
“I can get rid of them,” he said, voice silk over steel. “But there are too many for me to do it alone. I’ll need to borrow some of your strength.”
Aurelie had always known this moment would come—he was a demon, after all, and she was his bonded. She just hadn’t expected that he’d ask her permission. His palms were warm against her cheeks, his grip steady, waiting.
There was no time to consider. Waves of panic shot through her bond, and Aurelie’s stomach flipped as she tried to keep upright as her knees went weak.
Severin steadied her, eyes narrowing in concern.
“Yuri’s in pain,” she gasped, pressing his hand more firmly against her cheek. “Hurry and get Vex. Take whatever you need.”
He didn’t hesitate.
A sharp pull tugged through the bond, and suddenly she could feel him within her, drawing from her very life force and weaving it into his. Her head spun, vision tipping sideways. He switched their positions again to press her against the wall, keeping her upright as he siphoned her strength.
Aurelie felt the magic through their bond before she saw it take effect. Severin didn’t move or give any outward sign of attack, but suddenly the greedborn swayed where they stood, black blood pooling in the corners of their eyes.
Touching her bonded, Aurelie could feel each of Severin’s actions as he stole all sound from the greedborn, siphoning it into nothingness only to hurl it back at them in crushing force.
A breath later, the greedborn lay dead.
“Hurry, before someone notices.” Severin gripped her hand, wings flaring wide to mask as much of their bodies as possible as they cut a swift path toward the cage. He reached up, fingers skimming the bars.
“Get away, demons!” Vex spat, tucking her wings in close as she bared razor-sharp teeth.
“It’s us,” Aurelie whispered as Severin fumbled with the latch, hissing under his breath. There had to be a key somewhere, but there was no time to search. He growled in frustration and used his claw to try to pick the lock instead.
Vex’s eyes narrowed, her suspicion flaring hot. Then, without warning, she lunged at the bars, snapping her teeth at Severin’s fingers in warning.
“By the bleeding Light,” he snarled, letting his glamour flicker to reveal his true face for a split second. “We’re helping you.”
Vex gasped, flitting in tiny circles as she eagerly awaited freedom. The moment Severin managed to tear open the door, she burst forward.
“You’re here,” she breathed, tossing herself onto Aurelie’s shoulder and clinging tight.
Her claws felt like tiny little daggers, and Aurelie grimaced through the pain.
“The Nyxaris saw me and told the horde. Awful demons, they are. Absolutely depraved.” She gave her wings a vigorous flutter for emphasis.
“They won’t touch you again,” Aurelie promised. “What of Yuri? Did you see him?”
Vex paled, her wings drooping. “He was here, all right. The demons took him outside a few minutes ago. They said something about a church.”
“A church?” she echoed while Severin’s face darkened. She turned to her bonded, fearing the tightness of his expression. “What does that—”
She never had the chance to finish the question. White-hot pain flared against her wrist and seared through her body like fire.
She fell to the floor, gasping for breaths she couldn’t find, and began to seize.