Page 105 of Into the Abyss
“After the horsemen.”
Her fingers dug into my arm. “I’m comingwith you; Pride killed my mother.”
A twinge of sorrow for her tugged at myheart. Wrapping my hand around her head, I drew her close andkissed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I will make him pay for it, butyou must stay here. What you’re doing could be what we need todrive them out of here.”
For the first time, she turned her head tolook at the awakening structure. In the growing radiance itemitted, her hair and eyes became more yellow as her face lit withawe and joy.
When she looked at me again, sadness filledher gaze. “The Abyss is awakening.”
“Because of you. You must stay here.”
She looked about to argue with me, but thenshe closed her eyes, gave a brief nod, and focused on me again. “Becareful,” she whispered and released my arm to rest her hand on mycheek.
“I will,” I vowed.
“I love you, Magnus.”
My heart swelled to the point of bursting.To have her love me as I loved her was more than I ever could haveasked for from my life. I ran my lips over her forehead beforeturning my head to rest it on hers. I relished the feel of hersilken hair against my cheek while I inhaled her sweet scent.
“I love you too, Freckles, forever.”
I clasped her hand with my healing one andpressed it against my face before placing it on the monolithtoo.
“I’m coming back for you,” I vowed.
“You’d better,” she said, but her smilecouldn’t hide the sadness and fear in her eyes.
Reluctantly, I released her and turned away.I didn’t look back as I raced down the rocks toward the jinn andhorsemen; I was afraid if I did, I would change my mind and fleefrom the Abyss with her. And there were far too many lives thatcounted on us destroying the craetons to run away from here.
I wasn’t up to full strength after my lastcloaking illusion, but I weaved one over myself again as I ran.Once done, I still had enough power to send out a few duplicates ofme. As I ran, I zigzagged back and forth to throw my enemies off mylocation further.
Behind me, the light of Absenthees grewstronger, and for the first time since arriving in the Abyss, myshadow appeared before me.
“This place is lies and shadows.”Irecalled Erin saying when we encountered her in here. There were noshadows then, but if Amalia succeeded in bringing the Abyss back tolife, there would be again.
• • •
Amalia
I bowed my head against the encompassing light tokeep it from burning my retinas. However, I didn’t miss that thecolors spreading higher through the monolith were the same as myhair and eyes. Nor did I miss the new fractures racing across thesurface of Absenthees.
The heat beneath my palms intensified untilI was sure it would melt the flesh from my bones before dissolvingthem, but my skin remained unmarred, and the sensation wasn’tunpleasant.
I watched Magnus fade away, but this time,fewer duplicates of him were sent forth to confuse the others.He’s weakening.
“Caim, he needs help,” I said.
Caim held his wings open and over his headto block some of the brightness from Absenthees. “And you needprotection,” he replied as some of the jinn started up the rockstoward us again.
“I’ll be okay.”
“I know you will because I’ll be here tomake sure of it.”
“Caim,” I moaned.
I almost tore my hands away to grab him andshake some sense into him, but I stopped myself before I did. TheAbyss was yearning to be free of the cruelty reigning here for fartoo long, and I wouldn’t deny it.
Movement to my right drew my attention, andCaim tensed to pounce. “It’s okay,” I said to him when Rislen andthe other Faulted emerged from behind the monolith.
