Page 93 of Judge of Saints and Sinners
Finally, the thing that was not my mother rolled its eyes wide then popped a hip out. “Took you long enough. But no one cares, Justine. Just get over here so we can dispose of this thing.” She was pointing at Nephesh.
I reached back, my hand settling over Nephesh’s wrist as I recognized what we had to do. “Can you always share those bits of power with me?”
“I can. But—”
Opening my hands wide, I let every tiny bit of magic that I’d felt building in my system loose. I didn't know what it would do, but I knew that for this group of people, a supernatural distraction would be necessary.
Fire—ruby-red, shocking orange, and vibrant sunshine yellow—flickered free from my hands, falling to the floor and sweeping around Nephesh and me before streaming towards the rapidly approaching soldiers.
“Impressive,” Nephesh said, his voice tired as he sagged against me.
I didn't bother telling him it was the extent of my abilities as of now and it may only last a few moments. “We only have one chance of getting out of here, and it has to happen now.”
One of Nephesh’s amber eyes flicked closed.
“And how precisely is that going to happen?” he asked. There are more people coming now, filtering into the room.
I pressed my hands against his chest. “Let me see your soul.”
“What?”
“Just do it!”
Nephesh breathed out slowly, his body curling forward until my forehead was leaning against his chest, my breathing ragged, lungs aching.
His head dropped until it was pressing against me once again, where he inhaled me over and over again. “Justine…”
“I’m here, and I know you’re hurting, but you have to show me your soul.”
Nephesh’s entire body shuddered, as if he knew what I was about to do. I could feel him drag in one more breath of my hair before he exhaled out, and as he did, something appeared against his flesh, the scarred flesh seeming to spark as a flicker of fire appeared, first as only a tendril, then growing until a small flame hovered in the air, protected from their eyes by our bodies.
“You have to take it,” I said, licking my overly dry lips. “You have to return it to its half.”
“I cannot do that. You know that.”
“You don’t have a choice. They’ve been training, they have weapons, and they know how to hurt you. They know how to…” Kill you. I couldn’t get that last part out.
“I will be a monster,” he whispered.
“You will be mine, just as you are now. I have loved you as a human. I have loved you as a demon. I will love you in this form too,” I hissed, swiping at angry tears as the flame danced. The air shifted. They were coming, maybe with Faye this time.
We were out of time. I raised my hand, the flames harmless as I dragged a finger through the flames of his soul. My other hand snaked up to tangle in his white locks, holding tight as I leaned in. Braced for what I had to do.
And who I was about to meet.
“I love you,” I whispered, and then before I could regret my choices and right as the door behind me burst open, I rolled a palm over the flicker of his soul and shoved it into Nephesh’s chest, right below his heart, right where our bond glowed brighter than ever.
It didn’t melt into him as it had come out. This time it was a visceral, nearly violent reaction as Nephesh’s entire body whipped back, the chains going taut as he first flinched away from me and then writhed at the ends of the cursed chains.
I stepped back, covering my mouth with my hands as I watched his pain and suffering. Had I thought wrong? What had I done?
I didn't bother to turn around, but I could sense the squad of soldiers who now stood between me and what had been my temporary freedom. Something inside told me that Faye wasn’t here yet. I hoped she wasn’t.
I hoped she would understand. Someday.
Smoke bloomed from the chains as they struggled to contain him, and I backed away, coughing a little as the smoke invaded my lungs. Nephesh was invisible in the cloud of shadows and billowing darkness in front of us.
A sob freed itself before I could stop it, the sound strange and sharp in the silence of the room. “Nephesh?”
