Viola’s head jerks up at me, her eyes melting in relief. “You came?”
“This life and the next, Viola.” I slash through the bindings around her wrist, annoyed that my dagger doesn’t cut faster. “I am so, so sorry. I’m an idiot.” I work her feet free and pull her up against me. My heart finally calms; it’s finally home.
“Lorne—” she says.
“I know,” I murmur, brushing her hair away, holding her face like it’s the last time I’ll ever see her. She looks at me with renewed hope, and in her eyes, I find my truth. I am so desperately in love with her.
“Your heart is my home, Viola. Without you, my soul has no anchor. I love you, and I will love you. I hope you’ll forgive my outburst. I was so wrong…” I blurt out.
“Sylas…”
“Shh…” I snake my arms around her waist, tipping her closer to me. Then I kiss her, without thinking of the chaos moments away from swallowing us whole. She tastes like fire, like salt and wildberries. She tastes like hope, like the future I want to fight for.
“Can you walk?” I ask as I pull away.
The poacher dismembered Mara. Delaney killed the poacher. Hurry. You can reconcile later.
“Yes,” Viola answers.
We don’t have long before Delaney comes down, but the door is onlya few steps away. The aspiers slither back, Raiku and Scar coiling around my arms. And Railesza lifts her eyes at me from Viola’s arm. I nod at her to stay with Viola. She can heal her if anyone attacks.
We step out of the greenhouse and hurry across the clearing. All the while I glance at the cottage, at the silent windows that seem to mock me. The moment we cross into the woods, my shoulders tense. No poacher, no Delaney, and no Lorne—it’s almost like they wanted me to find Viola, wanted to let her go…
“Sylas.” Viola urges us forward. Once we blend into the tall trees, we’ll have more chance of escape. Maybe letting us go was their plan all along, but at least now, Viola is with me, and I can keep her safe. Gryff and Beau are on the way, and I’m certain they’ve alerted Paltro.
As we’re about to take a left to a path that’ll lead us closer to Junction Bridge, a slow clap takes over the silence.
Viola’s hand tightens in mine, and we turn around.
“I liked her drive, your sister.” Lorne slowly peels away from the cottage, bringing his arms behind his back while walking toward us. Behind him, an undead trails. “She would’ve made a fine Mortemagi. Brilliant till the very end, how she connected the dots from my teachings to her research.”
Why is he talking about Lyria?
Viola squeezes my hand, wrapping her other hand around my arm and pulling me backward. “Sy, don’t fall into his trap.”
“When she confronted me, I offered her the opportunity to join me.” Lorne lets out a longer sigh. “Aspieri and their loyalty. Did you know, there isn’t a single Aspieri within my army. She would’ve been the first. A pioneer.”
I offered her the opportunity to join me… I don’t hear Lorne’s mumbling past that. I let go of Viola’s hand, Raiku already primed to attack.
“Lorne mindtrapped Lyria,” I say aloud as my mind catches up with the events of the last few days.
“Lorne is Grimm,” Viola croaks. “I was trying to tell you—Sylas, don’t be reckless. He has Faro’s cuff. He’s immortal.”
“So am I.” Scar slithers ahead as I march toward Lorne. If I have to die to kill him, I will.
“So easily provoked.” Lorne—no,Grimm—tips his head back, laughing. “Killing is so messy, and I don’t like to get my hands dirty.”
Another undead emerges from the ground, spitting dirt as it rises, butRaiku’s already at its neck, fangs in the top of its spine. It crumples to dust in front of Grimm. His eyes flare, then he scoffs, raising three more. “I can do this all day.”
“So can I.” I close in on him, throwing the first punch.
Grimm is surprisingly nimble. He moves to the side and spins behind me. His lanky arm wraps around my throat, pulling me back. I slide my hand behind his arm and push forward, whirling to come face-to-face with him. The sneer he wears reeks of overconfidence, then twists into something evil.
He lunges for my neck. I kick him. Raiku bites his leg, and Scar wraps herself around his neck. None of it works. Grimm is relentless. He throws punch after punch to my jaw, my shoulder, my temple. Palming my pants for a dagger, I find it just before his fist reaches my eye.
I stab straight into his neck. He won’t die, but the quick loss of blood will slow him down. He staggers, and I shove him to the ground, whirling around to check on Viola.
As I turn, Delaney walks up to her out of nowhere, grabbing her by the hair. Viola spins and pushes Delaney away, and the vile woman loses her grip on Vi’s hair. It doesn’t last long, because she closes her hands around Viola’s arm and drags her forward.